Senate to probe ABC cuts
A Senate inquiry will scrutinise the ABC's recent decision to cut jobs and axe some television programs.
- Published by David Knox
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- Filed under News
A Senate inquiry will scrutinise the ABC’s recent decision to cut jobs and axe some television programs, which include The New Inventors, Collectors and Art Nation.
It follows an announcement by Director of Television Kim Dalton to reduce production jobs in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. In a memo to staff, he attributed the move to falling audiences and “increasing financial pressures”.
But Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said he wanted answers from managing director, Mark Scott, and noted an increase in ABC’s last triennial funding.
Independent Senator Nick Xenophon is also concerned over the ABC’s ability to create television shows, particularly in Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Hobart.
In a letter to Scott, staff have complained, “Under the current mixed model of production, ABC TV internal production staff and budgets have been steadily eroded. Starved of resources and opportunities, we are finding it increasingly difficult to deliver the quality content that the Australian public deserves.”
This week Dalton confirmed a multi-million dollar children’s production, Resistance, would be filmed in Adelaide while dramas Jack Irish and Laid are to be filmed in Melbourne.
The inquiry will report back to the Senate by mid-October.
Source: ABC
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- Tagged with Art Nation, Collectors, Jack Irish, LAID, Resistance, The New Inventors
3 Responses
There have been some very bad decisions lately. The New Inventors should not have been axed. I dont hink there is any shame in reversing the decision if they do. You cant just axe a long running program that is important to so many people. It was eductional and encouraged young people to try to solve problems. Bring it back!
Also, there needs to be a culture of creativity in The ABC. This means in-house production. Without it, one of the greatest institutions in our country is turned into just a transmitter.
If there is someone that is axing the beloved shows for not so good ones why not axe his job instead? Especially if they can keep the informative shows and those that make the shows. I rather them any day over stupid contemporary drama and/or comedy. That has no educational or cultural value. I quite often switch over to something else.
I have no respect for Kim Dalton whatsoever. In my opinion, he’s the worst thing to happen to the ABC in a long time.