ABC cuts: Managing director Mark Scott announces up to 400 jobs to go
Updated 2 minutes agoMon 24 Nov 2014, 11:27am PHOTO: Managing director of the ABC, Mark Scott, outlines how the national broadcaster will make $254 million in savings over five years. (ABC News) RELATED STORY: Significant ABC job losses expected following budget cut: Mark Scott RELATED STORY: Turnbull confirms $254 million cut from ABC funding MAP: Australia
More than 400 ABC staff could lose their jobs as the public broadcaster moves to implement the $254 million the Federal Government will cut from the public broadcaster over the next five years.
Managing director Mark Scott made the announcement when he addressed staff at the ABC's Ultimo Centre in Sydney this morning.
Mr Scott said the Corporation was committed to using back-office and overhead savings to fund the $207 million that would be cut from the ABC's budget from July 2015.
"We anticipate that more than 400 people – close to 10 per cent of our ongoing workforce – face potential redundancy as we adjust our activities over coming months," Mr Scott said.
"We regard the changes as vital to securing the long-term health of the organisation but I acknowledge that is no comfort to those who will lose their positions."
In his address, Mr Scott said there would be a review of the ABC's property holdings, with its site at Gore Hill in Sydney to be sold.
The ABC's Adelaide television production studio and five regional radio stations will be closed, and remaining non-news TV production in other states will also be wound down.
Mr Scott said there would also be a rationalisation of the ABC's television outside broadcast vans and a scaling-back of television sporting broadcasts.
The announcement also included details of proposed programming changes for ABC News, Radio and Television.
A national 7.30 program on Fridays will replace the current state 7.30 editions and will include extended cross-platform coverage of state and territory issues seven days a week.
Lateline will be moved to a new fixed timeslot of ABC News 24 and the broadcaster's foreign bureaux will be restructured to create "multiplatform hubs" and a new Beirut post will be opened.
There will also be changes to ABC Local, Radio National and ABC Classic FM programming and an overhaul of ABC TV's sports coverage.
Mr Scott has also proposed the creation of a new regional division and ABC Digital Network, to begin in mid-2015, and a $20 million digital investment fund.
The ABC Board has expressed its support for the changes in a statement released after Mr Scott's address to staff.
"The initiatives outlined by Mr Scott comprise a carefully considered response to the twin challenges of technological change and reduced funding," the Board, led by ABC chairman James Spigelman, said.
"They provide funds to invest in essential new online and mobile strategies that better connect the ABC with its audiences. Like the best media companies across the globe, the ABC is using its digital expertise to achieve deeper and broader audience engagement and relevance."
Mr Scott will visit staff in ABC branches in each state and territory over the next fortnight to fully brief them on the changes.
"The message I will convey, both internally and externally, over the next few weeks is that the ABC cannot stand still and run the risk of becoming less relevant and compelling to this and future generations," he said.
"What we are doing today is in the best interests of the ABC and its many stakeholders. It is designed to position the organisation for the future.
"Working together, we can be confident in our ability to see through these changes and to build a stronger ABC."
Federal Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull unveiled the full scale of the cuts and details of the Lewis Review into the public broadcasters in a speech in Adelaide on Wednesday.
In it, he said the ABC would have its budget cut by $254 million over the next five years – a cut of 4.6 per cent – and added that ABC management ought to be able to fund the savings without cutting resources to programming.
All up, $20 million will be cut from the ABC's budget in 2015-16, rising to $61 million in 2016-17, $55 million in 2017-18, and $68 million in 2018-19.
PHOTO: Managing director of the ABC, Mark Scott, outlines how the national broadcaster will make $254 million in savings over five years. (ABC News)
