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ABC budget cut could lead to 500 job losses by December | ABC budget cut could lead to 500 job losses by December |
(1 day later) | |
The Australian Broadcasting Corp will likely sack as many as 500 staff by year's end because of a government budget cut. | The Australian Broadcasting Corp will likely sack as many as 500 staff by year's end because of a government budget cut. |
The Australian government has cut the national broadcaster's budget by A$50m ($44m; £28m) or about 5% a year. | |
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull confirmed the anticipated cuts on ABC TV programme Q&A. | |
A number of key television programmes will be affected, including the Friday night state-based 7.30 programmes. | A number of key television programmes will be affected, including the Friday night state-based 7.30 programmes. |
Speaking on Monday night, Mr Turnbull said the A$50m cut would average out over five years at about 5% off the total budget. | Speaking on Monday night, Mr Turnbull said the A$50m cut would average out over five years at about 5% off the total budget. |
Political bias | Political bias |
He said he would release more details about the cuts later in the week and said the savings were "not punitive". | He said he would release more details about the cuts later in the week and said the savings were "not punitive". |
"They are relatively modest savings relative to the budget of the ABC and SBS," said Mr Turnbull. | "They are relatively modest savings relative to the budget of the ABC and SBS," said Mr Turnbull. |
"They are part of a government savings exercise because we've got a problem with the budget. There's no reason for the ABC to be exempt from that," he said. | "They are part of a government savings exercise because we've got a problem with the budget. There's no reason for the ABC to be exempt from that," he said. |
The ABC has been regularly criticised over a long period of time for bias against the conservative side of politics. | The ABC has been regularly criticised over a long period of time for bias against the conservative side of politics. |
But Mr Turnbull last night criticised ABC management for trying to shift the blame for "programming changes [made] for its own programming reasons" to the government. | But Mr Turnbull last night criticised ABC management for trying to shift the blame for "programming changes [made] for its own programming reasons" to the government. |
"That is simply not right," he said. | "That is simply not right," he said. |
ABC's Media Watch program said ABC2 and ABC3 would survive; Radio National would be cut by 2% and regional radio had been mostly left alone. Regional ABC services are greatly valued by those communities and by the Coalition's National Party MPs. | ABC's Media Watch program said ABC2 and ABC3 would survive; Radio National would be cut by 2% and regional radio had been mostly left alone. Regional ABC services are greatly valued by those communities and by the Coalition's National Party MPs. |
Late night news and current affairs program Lateline is expected to suffer a cut, while 20 jobs will be lost in the ABC's foreign bureaus, said Media Watch host Paul Barry. | Late night news and current affairs program Lateline is expected to suffer a cut, while 20 jobs will be lost in the ABC's foreign bureaus, said Media Watch host Paul Barry. |
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