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Report: Lateline in firing line of ABC cuts

Media reports suggest the future of Lateline is in doubt as the ABC considers where it will cut costs.

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2014-09-22_0124Reports today on potential cuts to the ABC suggest the future of Lateline is in doubt, as negotiations continue with Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

But The Australian reports the show may also move to ABC News 24, with any axing as a “worst case scenario.”

The Minister has been pushing for cuts to back-end operations rather than Programming, with recent comments the ABC could absorb up to $200 million in cuts.

“It is a lot of money [$200 million] but we’re making cuts right across the government sector and so the ABC, or the SBS for that matter, cannot expect to be exempt. The question is to get the cuts in the right places, and to ensure that these businesses – the ABC and SBS – are run as efficiently as possible,” he said last week.

There is speculation another 300 jobs could go, on top of the 88 already lost to Australia Network, which ceases transmission next weekend.

“No decisions have been made at this stage with regards to how the ABC responds to budget cuts,’’ an ABC spokesperson said.

ABC managing director Mark Scott has said the ABC is “robustly” reviewing property, IT, procurement, human resources and finance, as well as working with the SBS to consider back-office savings.

Fairfax reports ABC staff are expecting heavy cuts and suggest many programs are at risk.

Divisional managers were reportedlt told to model funding cuts of 5, 10 and 15 per cent months ago.

The ABC’s own commissioned efficiency report, conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, will go to the board at an extraordinary general meeting this week.

7 Responses

  1. I don’t understand- why would showing it only on ABC News 24 help save costs? Surely broadcasting it more or removing it (worst case scenario) would lower costs??
    Maybe sourcing from broadcast partners would also help cut costs?
    On a separate note, I don’t understand why this Govt is targeting news so much. Labor did court the media too much, but removing state sourced/produced and unbiased media is an extreme response too that

  3. What Nick said.

    Abbott really needs to be held more accountable for the promises he made on SBS News the night before the election. Promises that would have undoubtedly swayed some voters.
    For the record he said:
    “No cuts to education, no cuts to health, no change to pensions, no change to the GST and no cuts to the ABC or SBS.”

    By my reckoning that’s 5 broken promises out of 6. Not a good record.

  5. ABC is still top heavy with way too many middle line managers with their reserved inner city car parking and business class travel perks. That is where the axing should occur, not programming or services.

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