Australia’s ABC cuts jobs and programmes

Wednesday 03 Aug 2011
Australia’s national broadcaster, the ABC, has confirmed that it is cutting two television programmes, with an unknown number of job losses, ABC News reports.

The programmes are The New Inventors and Art Nation. The ABC, however, has denied media reports that the entire arts division has been disbanded in a move to outsource more television production.

Head of Television Kim Dalton has told ABC Radio’s PM programme that the broadcaster was proud of the success of The New Inventors, but its viewership had fallen by about 50 percent after an eight-year run.

“Great programme – introduced some wonderful inventions to the Australian public and it’s something we’re very proud of. I think eventually after eight years, programmes run their course,” he said.

Mr Dalton said the Sunday afternoon programme, Art Nation, would not be continuing beyond the end of the year after losing more than 30 percent of its audience.

“We’re moving some of those resources into increased prime time arts programming,” he said.

“We are under increasing ongoing financial pressure and we have to make sure the resources we’ve got… we use as efficiently and as effectively as possible.”

Mr Dalton would not say how many staff would lose their jobs. The casualties include presenters, producers and other technical staff from Sydney, Adelaide and Perth.