By Matthew Knott
One in five ABC managers – totalling up to 200 staff – will lose their jobs under a sweeping restructure announced by ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie.
Ms Guthrie acknowledged the "painful" cuts would be a blow for staff who lose their jobs, but said "swift and decisive action" was needed for the ABC to remain relevant to audiences.
As revealed by Fairfax Media last month, the savings generated by the job cuts will free up $50 million a year to invest in TV, radio and online content.
Up to 80 new content roles will also be created in regional Australia over the next 18 months.
ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie has announced a sweeping restructure of ABC management.Credit: Andrew Meares
Although Ms Guthrie focused on the cuts to middle management, up to 70 production staff on television shows such as 7.30 and Foreign Correspondent will lose their jobs.
Staff members likely to be made redundant were called in for private meetings with managers on Tuesday afternoon.
There will be 30 redundancies from TV operations and 42 from news operations – including camera operators, vision mixers and lighting producers.
The restructure, revealed to staff in a televised briefing on Tuesday, is Ms Guthrie's most significant move since replacing Mark Scott last May.
The overhaul will see the number of ABC divisions slashed from 14 to eight.
The existing Television, Radio, News and Regional divisions will remain while other departments will be rolled into new divisions for Finance, Technology, Engagement and Audiences.
ABC International will be abolished as a separate division and have its functions integrated into the broader ABC.
The aim of the restructure is to reduce management levels by 20 per cent across the ABC, with support services to take the biggest hit.
Between 150 to 200 employees will leave the broadcaster by June this year.
"These initiatives recognise that incremental reform isn't the answer and that transformational change over the next year is essential if the ABC is to realise its full potential," Ms Guthrie said.
"These changes are essential to the long-term health of the corporation, but I acknowledge that this is little comfort to those whose roles are impacted."
Ms Guthrie has made it clear since she arrived at the broadcaster that she believes the broadcaster's management levels were bloated and that more of the ABC's budget should be devoted to programming.
In her presentation to ABC staff Ms Guthrie said the ABC was at risk of becoming irrelevant to many Australians without change.
"We lack the flexibility to quickly adjust to the fast-changing audience trends," she said.
"Our reach on television and radio is declining and digital is struggling to bridge the divide.
"We have significant audience gaps: socially, culturally and geographically.
"This means we're falling short of properly and effectively representing, in our employees, content and audience impact, the modern Australia in which we live."
Ms Guthrie said the new content fund – which will start at $20 million and build to $50 million a year – will be open to all employees who have ideas for innovative programming.
She said she expected a "fierce" competition for funds.
"We need big ideas, fresh thinking and a willingness to take risks," she said.
"We need to expand digital storytelling in News and take a fresh look at bolstering key genres like the arts, science, business and sport."
ABC section secretary for the Community and Public Sector Union Sinddy Ealy said: "These cuts will affect people directly involved in program making.
"This is not just about management."
The Turnbull government welcomed the news that up to $15 million a year will be invested in the regions, including hiring more journalists and producers.
"I applaud the ABC's initial move and look forward to more like it," Regional Communications Minister Fiona Nash said.
Ms Guthrie also announced that David Anderson, currently Director of Corporate Strategy and Planning, will be the new Director of ABC Television, replacing Richard Finlayson.