More Prime jobs to go
Seven is unhappy with affiliate broadcaster Prime over cuts in local news.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
Regional broadcaster Prime has axed a number of senior editorial positions at Wagga Wagga, Tamworth and Canberra, reports The Australian.
Longtime editorial director Maxene Cooper and former newsreader and coastal bulletin director Fiona Ferguson are amongst those mentioned.
TV Tonight understands Wagga will be managed out of Albury, with reporters to remain in Wagga.
But affiliate partner and shareholder Seven has suggested it is breaching the terms of a six-year programming deal.
“We recognise that all businesses have to manage their costs, but as a significant shareholder in Prime we do have concerns about any moves to reduce local content or local presence,” said a Seven spokesperson.
“Seven has a proud history of investment in local content and we expect Prime to do likewise, which is why our affiliation agreement contains an express condition that Prime maintain local news bureaus and not reduce the quality of local news services.”.
Regional broadcasters, including Prime, have been lobbying for media reform, with its Save Our Voices campaign warning of job losses and threats to local news. Regional broadcasters have also slammed Seven’s plans to Live stream its channels into markets from December.
3 Responses
Not a surprise. These Prime people have sold up all their assets and have been getting rid of people for years. They just want one of their government mates to approve a sale of license to anyone wanting to buy it. Seven should sell their shares in Prime and get rid of that cancerous business.
The decision to live stream by Seven will destroy regional broadcasts. I forsee a future whereby our TV services will be delivered by the internet and not via present digital free to air. We are already seeing the effects of cross-over technology and networking.
This is rich. Prime7 is part of the “Save Our Voices” campaign which is trying to garner public support for media reform so it can be bought about by a bigger network. They are using the threat of the axing of local news and less “local voices” to fear people into supporting them. On their Facebook that talk of the big bad “big city media” – yet the “big city media” is exactly who they want to buy them. They have been axing newsrooms and bulletins for over a decade now – well before Stan and Netflix – and now they are using that as an excuse. Now, they are axing more newsrooms jobs and staff. Whilst everything is read in front of a piece of cardboard in Canberra. The quality of the local news is shocking. Prime7, Southern Cross should be ashamed.