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Conroy wants answers on ABC job cuts

Stephen Conroy told ABC News Breakfast he would be seeking answers from Managing Director Mark Scott over the decision to axe programmes and cut back on staff.

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy told ABC News Breakfast today he would be seeking answers from Managing Director Mark Scott over the decision to axe programmes and cut back on staff.

The Labor government significantly increased ABC funding in the last triennial funding and no doubt isn’t taking too kindly to the impression that it may not be adequately resourcing the national broadcaster.

“I would say they haven’t had any cuts in funds; these are programs that have been going a long time,” he said.

“I will be seeking information from Mark Scott and the management of the ABC around their statements that financial issues led to the closing of these programs.

“They had a three-year funding package put in place. It’s coming up for a new round of funding into next year but as far as I’m aware there’s been absolutely no cuts in funding at all from the government to the ABC.”

The debate around ABC cuts has brought comment from unions, media, Friends of the ABC and viewers via talkback radio. There have been repeated questions about whether axing such shows as Art Nation mean ABC is no longer meeting its Charter.

“Many times in the past, programs have been phased out and newer offerings on newer platforms have been phased in – so has the charter commitment been met? There’s always a lively debate about that,” he said.

7 Responses

  1. @Borough , i agree totally , i reckon thats the reason there budget is so stuffed , that has cost them a packet and has been a flop in so many ways.As you said a waste of HD bandwidth.

  2. @Ann: Eh? I was watching ABC News 24 last night while they had continuing coverage of the Mosman incident.

    They crossed live to every press conference, and they had a reporter there who they crossed to about every 15 minutes while I was watching which was from about 7pmWST to about 9pmWST and then I was checking in every so often to see if anything had changed.

    Didn’t see any other stations covering it as well.

  3. If there is any broadcaster on a national scale that is not getting enough funding it is SBS. SBS is a broadcaster which needs more funding. I cant figure out why the ABC have cut staff and shows. shows is understandable especially if they are not performing even if they are on a public national broadcaster but job cutts that should not happen, if the calls that the ABC is biased in favour of the Govt then this move is simply wrong.

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