0/5

ABC cuts: 200 jobs to go as Guthrie restructures

Mass jobs to go at ABC in order to free up $50m for new content.

Between 150 – 200 ABC jobs are expected to go by June as part of a major restructure by Managing Director Michelle Guthrie.

Management will be reduced by 20%, with support areas to bear the brunt.

ABC employees learned of the changes just before noon today as part of a national videolink.

The restructure reduces the number of main ABC divisions from 14 to eight, with the four existing content divisions balanced by new streamlined support functions. Sitting alongside the four content divisions (Television, Radio, News and Regional) will be new divisions for Finance, Technology, Engagement and Audiences.

Editorial Policies and Government Relations will be specialist functions reporting direct to the MD. The ABC has also proposed integrating staff in ABC International into the ABC.

But there will also be 80 new content roles created in regional Australia within 18 months.

The ABC will invest $50 million in new content across its television, radio and digital platforms, as the broadcaster establishes a Content Fund and Regional Investment initiative.

The key initiatives are:

· Creating a $50 million fund open to all employees to source new ideas for content
· Investing $15 million per year in regional jobs and extra digital and video output as a key part of the Fund
· Implementing a new streamlined leadership team and structure
· Reducing management by 20% and addressing duplication in support roles
· Signalling a transition to a more audience-focussed content structure over the next 12 months
· Delivering additional production and support efficiencies across ABC TV and ABC News.

“The Fund enables us to respond with flexibility and speed to shifting audience trends and to extend our reach and engagement, especially with audiences who are infrequent ABC users,” Michelle Guthrie said.

“Regional investment will be a priority. We’re committing to an injection of funds, ultimately building to $15 million a year, to provide more reporters and content makers, better tools and increased video and digital output. The ABC will recruit up to 80 new content roles in regional areas within 18 months.”

ABC TV and ABC News will also reduce production and support roles as part of internal efficiency targets. The changes will also address duplications across support roles.

Guthrie said the ABC was dealing with the challenges of new media competitors, fast-changing audience trends and fixed funding.

“These changes are essential to the long-term health of the Corporation, but I acknowledge that this is little comfort to those whose roles are impacted. We will work with unions and with affected staff. We will be open and move as quickly as possible to end the uncertainty in affected areas.

“These initiatives recognise that incremental reform isn’t the answer and that transformational change over the next year is essential if the ABC is to realise its full potential. Change that strengthens the organisation, empowers our people and delivers long-term results for audiences.”

ABC also announced new appointments today:

As tipped by TV Tonight, David Anderson, previously the Director of Corporate Strategy and Planning and Director of Digital Network, is the new Director of ABC Television.

There will be a new Audiences Team, led by Leisa Bacon, who was previously the Director of Audience and Marketing. The new Audiences Division has an expanded remit to oversee the use of the Content Fund and to provide an across-the-ABC approach to research and audience strategy.

Louise Higgins, who has experience at the BBC and Nova Entertainment, joins the ABC as Chief Financial Officer. Sam Liston, formerly the Director of ABC People, becomes Chief Engagement Officer. The former COO, David Pendleton, will act as Interim Chief Technology Officer while the ABC recruits for that position.

Alan Sunderland will remain as Director of Editorial Policies and Michael Millett will be Director of Government Relations.

ABC is yet to announce its new Head of Entertainment.

Michelle Guthrie statement to ABC Staff

ABC Board statement:

The ABC Board endorses the initiatives and changes that have been announced today by the Managing Director, Michelle Guthrie.
The ABC has been continuously evolving and responding to the needs of Australian audiences. Today’s announcement represents an integrated and constructive response to the new challenges that confront the national broadcaster, ensuring the ABC is best-positioned to meet its Charter and audience objectives.
The Board has been involved actively in the development of the ABC proposals, working closely with management and Ms Guthrie since her appointment 10 months ago.
The change program over the next 12 months will transform the Corporation. Importantly, it provides content makers with the flexibility and resources they need to address audience and technological changes that are sweeping through the media sector.
The new structure also strengthens the Corporation, with its emphasis on operational efficiency, reduced management layers and the creation of a new Audiences division to align ABC programming and content strategy with audience tastes and trends.
The Board acknowledges that within a fixed funding envelope, choices need to be made on allocating resources. In transforming the ABC, the priority must be on delivering to audiences.
The Board has established regular reporting on the progress of implementation and will provide governance oversight to ensure that the intended benefits are delivered from this change program.
We believe the steps outlined today maintain the ABC’s fundamental commitment to the provision of programming that contributes to a sense of national identity; that informs, educates and entertains; and which reflects the cultural diversity of the Australian community.
In its contribution to the process, the Board has had particular regard to its statutory responsibility under the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983 “to ensure the functions of the Corporation are performed efficiently and with the maximum benefit to the people of Australia”.

16 Responses

  1. It will be sad to see all these people without jobs. Hopefully doesn’t ruin the ABC. Hopefully it means more creative formats/shows across the ABC.
    Maybe it’s time the ABC takes some risks. Maybe take the pointless format and do an Australian version?
    Create a continual one hour drama/s like Holby City or The Bill? Create a Nightly comedy show? The one with Adam hills was enjoyable. Maybe make it twice a week instead of one. Have it come in after the business?
    Radio national has lost some major programs but ad new ones or use international content? Maybe merge a few hours of triple J with Radio National or state-wide radio networks. Play The Archers at lunchtime to break the constant news shows.
    As much everyone hates repeats. I have enjoyed the afternoon showings of the Bill and Murder she Wrote. Or start showing their old drama shows or pick up rights for Aussie drama like A…

  2. Initially I had my doubts about Gutherie and while nobody likes to see people lose their jobs in this case I think she is on the right track. As long as it’s the beaureacrats whose heads are on the block. For years these empires have been built within the organisation consisting of many public servants whose contribution is dubious. Content is what it’s all about and if there is more money for that, providing it is quality content, then it certainly is the way to go. Enough of these endless repeats of Antiques Road Show, QI and Pointless for goodness sake.
    For me ABC News channel is an extravagance and it should have been abandon. The endless pressers ( it’s life blood ) where they still haven’t found a way to mic the journos questions ( a problem that could be solved) is unecessary when there are so many on line and other news outlets. For the small audience it attracts it is…

  3. I can understand the hate for pointless live crosses, which I agree with.
    However, remember talking heads and live crosses fill up alot of airtime where video/background information is sparse and it is far cheaper than producing a video package.

    1. I don’t want a video package either. Not on the main news Just a talking head giving me the salient info. If they’re going to try to fill up airtime because they can’t afford to write some more lines for the autocue about other news, I’d rather that the news was shorter.

      Actually, I get most of my news online so I’m prob spending more time ranting about this than I should.

      1. Most other smartphone/PC users get online News too. News 24 was supposed to be the ABC’s contribution to quality News programming but has a departmental feel about. The news is not kept refreshed as often as it should and has a State bias depending on which News studio it comes from. It also is run by a clock it seems, which is typical ABC, cutting off Q&A’s to give perfunctory news briefs.
        It’s not surprising that Sky News gets the Lions share of political interviews.

        1. Forgot to add that News 24’s time may soon be running out as at the moment even though it just spent a lot of tax payer money updating their studio it doesn’t represent good entertainment value for money, especially in it’s current production form. One less channel could save the ABC a few million if nothing better can take News 24’s place.

  4. I hope there is a purge of all the left wing management that have infiltrated and infected the ABC over the past few years. Y’know the ones that aligned with Fairfax and The Guardian by not reporteing K-Trads recent clumsey but appalling comments. Don’t want the ABC to be right wing….just better balanced

    1. For the Right Wingers you have All of Talk Back Radio, News Corp Papers, The Very Right winged and Pro Russian/Putin Channel in Sky News Australia, followed by the lesser RT News plus Fox News.

      Just leave the ABC alone, so we can have some diversity in our media. Oh sorry the Right doesn’t like diversity. Now I understand why the ABC should go.

      1. bagbuffy, the ABC isn’t meant to be biased one way or another….essentially it shouldn’t as you imply be the Left wing news and current affairs channel

  5. The most useless live cross I saw was from ch 9 when there was a series of hold ups at outer suburban McDonalds. They crossed to their report at their local Maccas which was only a few hundreds meters from thier old Bendigo St Studios

  6. But, to be serious for a tic: while the stated structural changes make some sense (though it seems like production is still siloed; separate [news/drama/comedy/kids/whatever] content & [TV/radio/online] delivery divisions would make more sense), you’ve got to wonder how efficient it is to have these reshufflings with each and every political & MD change.

  7. One way they could save some wasted $ in News&Caff is by not sending reporters out to stand in front of a building where nothing is happening or likely to happen.

    If they were there covering an earlier event, send them home. Don’t keep them hanging around for a 45 second piece to camera on the 7 o’clock news.

    1. But … but … how will they compete with commercial networks in the all-important “standing in front of a courthouse that closed 2 hours ago” or “why am I outside in the rain while everybody else is inside keeping dry” stakes?!

Leave a Reply