National broadcaster warns producers,Fairfax Media cuts cartoonists and the Australian praises Chris Uhlmann for striking ‘a blow for freedom of speech’notice Scott wasn’t kidding when he told the National Press Club on Wednesday that losing 10% of the ABC’s $200m news allocation in the May budget would mean “meaningful cuts to jobs and programming” . On Tuesday ABC News’s executive producers were briefed on possible budget cuts and asked to start making contingency plans should their budgets be trimmed again. (The word from Canberra was that the Turnbull government would not be as forthcoming as the Gillard government had been in topping up the ABC’s news coffers three years ago.) At risk is an additional $20m in tied funding allocated to the ABC each year for three years to create the national reporting team, establish the fact check unit and boost resources for the regions and digital content. “It also funded major, or award-winning,in-depth prime-time documentary series like The Killing Season and George Megalogenis’s TV series Making Australia Great – compelling award-winning work, unlike anything else on Australian television, and ” Scott told the press club. whether the additional $60m is not part of the triennial funding package the ABC may see even more reporters walk out the door or more programs disappear. Related: notice Scott lets skim at $350m cut to ABC funding by Abbott government Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com