Extract from The Guardian
Jobs lost in technology division are on top of 22 cut from national
newsrooms as union says warns scale of ABC downsizing is not sustainable
The ABC has axed another 37 jobs just days after it was revealed the
public broadcaster had shed more than 1,000 jobs since 2014.
The 37 jobs losses are in the technology division and are on top of the 22 jobs axed from the national newsrooms last month.
In answers to questions on notice the ABC told senate estimates that a total of 939 employees – or 829 full-time-equivalent – have been made redundant in four years, including 205 as a result of the closure of the ABC’s retail shops and a further 73 vacant positions were closed.
On Thursday the ABC’s chief digital and information officer Helen Clifton said the proposal would “strengthen the ABC’s ability to deliver more to audiences”.
“These are hard decisions, but the right ones to guarantee the ABC remains properly equipped, now and into the future, with so many rapid changes in technology,” she said.
“This proposal will ensure we are a future-focused media organisation
able to meet changing audience expectations and will strengthen our
commitment to delivering outstanding content and media experiences to
Australian audiences.”
The ABC section secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union Sinddy Ealy said the number of ABC restructures is up to 17 in 18 months, or almost one a month.
ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie took over from Mark Scott more than two years ago.
“This is devastating news for ABC staff – in less than 4 years close to 1000 skilled and experienced ABC employees have lost their jobs due to restructuring,” Ealy told Guardian Australia.
“The scale of ABC loss is simply not sustainable – a point that the ABC’s own leadership has finally been forced to admit in response to the latest Turnbull government funding cut of $84m.
“Excessive ABC restructuring is hurting everyone – the leadership, the staff and ultimately everyone one of us who relies on the ABC for quality programs and services.”
Ealy said most of the “restructures” end up costing more money in the long run and ABC editorial quality suffers.
The union has also been highly critical of the “Hunger Games” approach to job cuts which places targeted staff put into selection pools where they are judged against each other.
Staff were reeling from the news of yet another, this time in technology.
The cuts follow the ABC’s decision to halve current affairs radio programs The World Today and PM in 2018 to fund other projects in news, including specialist and investigative reporting.
Earlier this week Guthrie lost a second key member of her executive team within weeks when the head of distribution for entertainment and specialist Rebecca Heap resigned just months into a major content restructure.
The shock departure follows the resignation of Guthrie’s right-hand woman, Samantha Liston, the director of engagement, who will finsh up on 25 June.
Heap was in charge of programming and digital with responsibility for iview and the ABC’s TV channels – including ABC, ABC Kids, ABC Me and ABC Comedy as well as ABC listen and Radio National.
She has resigned without any indication of a new position.
The 37 jobs losses are in the technology division and are on top of the 22 jobs axed from the national newsrooms last month.
In answers to questions on notice the ABC told senate estimates that a total of 939 employees – or 829 full-time-equivalent – have been made redundant in four years, including 205 as a result of the closure of the ABC’s retail shops and a further 73 vacant positions were closed.
On Thursday the ABC’s chief digital and information officer Helen Clifton said the proposal would “strengthen the ABC’s ability to deliver more to audiences”.
“These are hard decisions, but the right ones to guarantee the ABC remains properly equipped, now and into the future, with so many rapid changes in technology,” she said.
The ABC section secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union Sinddy Ealy said the number of ABC restructures is up to 17 in 18 months, or almost one a month.
ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie took over from Mark Scott more than two years ago.
“This is devastating news for ABC staff – in less than 4 years close to 1000 skilled and experienced ABC employees have lost their jobs due to restructuring,” Ealy told Guardian Australia.
“The scale of ABC loss is simply not sustainable – a point that the ABC’s own leadership has finally been forced to admit in response to the latest Turnbull government funding cut of $84m.
“Excessive ABC restructuring is hurting everyone – the leadership, the staff and ultimately everyone one of us who relies on the ABC for quality programs and services.”
Ealy said most of the “restructures” end up costing more money in the long run and ABC editorial quality suffers.
The union has also been highly critical of the “Hunger Games” approach to job cuts which places targeted staff put into selection pools where they are judged against each other.
Staff were reeling from the news of yet another, this time in technology.
The cuts follow the ABC’s decision to halve current affairs radio programs The World Today and PM in 2018 to fund other projects in news, including specialist and investigative reporting.
Earlier this week Guthrie lost a second key member of her executive team within weeks when the head of distribution for entertainment and specialist Rebecca Heap resigned just months into a major content restructure.
The shock departure follows the resignation of Guthrie’s right-hand woman, Samantha Liston, the director of engagement, who will finsh up on 25 June.
Heap was in charge of programming and digital with responsibility for iview and the ABC’s TV channels – including ABC, ABC Kids, ABC Me and ABC Comedy as well as ABC listen and Radio National.
She has resigned without any indication of a new position.
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