ABC to axe 20 metro newsroom jobs as it restructures to adapt to ‘modern media environment’
The ABC will axe approximately 20 jobs in its city newsroom as it seeks to pivot to a structure which can cope with the ‘modern media environment’.
In a statement released today, the national broadcaster said it would re-structure eight capital city newsrooms.
More ABC staff to be made redundant – ABC says it will cut 20 editorial staff from its under-resourced state newsrooms in blow to local news coverage pic.twitter.com/NhRkqoEn7c
— MEAA (@withMEAA) April 30, 2018
According to a release published on the ABC news website, the changes are in response to audience demands, which include a 12% increase in mobile over the past two years to almost 5m Australian users.
The ABC’s proposed new structure includes the creation of an ABC Investigations team and a Specialist Reporting Team.
A further $15.4m will been invested in rural and regional areas, which will establish 80 jobs in the division. ABC is also looking to expand local radio streaming, with 42 communities able to listen to the stations online and through mobile.
Consultation on the proposal with unions and employees has commenced today.
Director of news, analysis and investigations, Gaven Morris, said the current newsroom structure did not fully support ABC staff to meet “modern audience needs”.
Hi @withMEAA .. yes we are proposing some changes in our @abcnews capital city newsrooms but there will be no cut to job numbers and no reduced funding. We're working towards stronger local journalism to audiences across all platforms. https://t.co/FnXuxwf6bc
— Gaven Morris (@gavmorris) April 30, 2018
“Reshaping our newsrooms involves challenges. Overall, it is anticipated around 20 positions would become redundant, and we know this would be painful. Against this, new senior editorial roles would be introduced to add to the expertise and skills in the newsroom. At the end of this process we anticipate having the same number of editorial employees,” Morris said.
“Australians overwhelmingly trust ABC News for accurate and independent reporting that reflects their communities and brings their stories to the nation.
“The ABC’s responsibility to provide this valued service increases as other media withdraw from local news.”
ABC’s latest announcement comes a year after it was revealed between 150 and 200 jobs would go. The redundancies were part of a new strategy and transformation program which saw one in five ABC manager roles cut.
Earlier this year, the broadcaster flagged the launch ABC 2.0, a set of initiatives to change the way content is served to audiences.
Good move. The minds of the people can be controlled from Headquarters. Why waste their billion on news when the money is better spent on indoctrinating the young through ABC ME. Eight year olds need more ads and apps for Mardi Gras, mental health and how to kill evil white men.
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Without having more details a key question here is how the ABC is defining LOCAL. The ABC continues to invest in regional ABC. Good. Sure there will be arguments about where and how much. When I was a metro-based journalist I found some great stories in the suburbs – and a good story is a good story. How come ABC’s Parramatta bureau – in the real heart of Sydney – came and went? Where are other bureaus in suburban Melbourne. None. Mind-boggling.
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By “Headquarters” I can only assume you mean Canberra or the PM’s office.
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Gosford got one in 2003. Geelong got something like one a few years ago. There could be dedicated services for Western Sydney or South East Melbourne at some point.
But more important than bureaus is the reporter to resident ratio. This is much better in regional Australia than the metro areas.
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I’m reading this story on a mobile device and also not on an ABC web service so I guess the landscape has changed. Nonetheless newsrooms need Journalists
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