Michelle Rowland demands meeting with ABC boss David Anderson over job cuts

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland demands a briefing from ABC management over its move to cut 120 jobs.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland has requested an urgent briefing from ABC management over the controversial move to cut 120 jobs as part of the national broadcaster’s plan to target a “digital-majority audience”.

The ABC’s push to “adapt and evolve” – as outlined in its five-year plan announced earlier this month – met its first significant hurdle last week when the taxpayer-funded media giant endured a torrent of criticism over its redundancy program, with the axing of political editor Andrew Probyn prompting particular outrage.

“This is a very difficult time for any individual whose role may be impacted by the changes,” a spokesman for Ms Rowland told The Australian on Sunday.

“The ABC ultimately has operational independence and it is a matter for ABC management to determine how to structure the organisation within their funding envelope to meet the changing needs of audiences.

“The minister has requested a briefing from the ABC management in regards to the ABC five year plan and the announcement (of the job cuts).”

The acting president of ABC Friends, Michael Henry, also sent a letter to managing director David Anderson on behalf of the organisation’s 71,000 members to express concern over the redundancy program, and the axing of the position of political editor.

“We find it difficult to conceive how a national public broadcaster can be effective without a political editor, and we have concerns about the implications of other changes, such as the elimination of the stand-alone arts team,” the letter says.

“ABC Friends is worried about the impact which management’s handling of these sensitive matters is having on individual ABC staff members, and on morale in the organisation more generally, during what will be a difficult transition for the national broadcaster.”

ABC managing director David Anderson. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The Australian asked an ABC spokesman on Sunday if the managing director had responded to either the minister’s request for a briefing or the approach from ABC Friends.

“We don’t normally comment on government meetings,” the spokesman said.

On Saturday, the ABC released a statement attacking this newspaper for running comments from anonymous sources who expressed genuine concern over various issues within the broadcaster, including problems associated with strict diversity targets for its journalism.

“We are obsessed with ‘diversity’ but it comes at a cost,” said the on-air source, who added that while good in theory, the need to satisfy diversity targets within all works of journalism was not always practical.

“These anonymous comments do not represent the values of the ABC or what we stand for,” the ABC statement on Saturday said.

The Australian has spoken to dozens of staff since the job cuts were announced on Thursday, and all expressed concern that they would face serious disciplinary action if they spoke publicly about the internal strife at the organisation.

In its announcement last week that the ABC was transitioning to a digital-first media organisation, Mr Anderson said: “We have made clear our vision for the ABC to be an essential part of everyday life for all Australians through our high-quality journalism and content, wherever they may live across the country.”

ABC political editor Andrew Probyn was among those made redundant.

But the wisdom of the ABC’s push to “provide relevant content, in engaging formats, for younger audiences, especially those who do not use traditional broadcast services”, has been widely questioned by many, both inside and outside the walls of the national broadcaster. “We are not a youth network – never have been, never will be,” said one high-profile ABC figure.

“The audience remains older Australians, and they rely on the ABC for strong news and current affairs coverage.

“And for many, that means tuning in to the 7pm TV news each night. They are not so concerned with digital platforms.

“That’s not to say that the ABC shouldn’t evolve, but nor should they leave their core audience behind.”

The veteran on-air ABC figure also took aim at current management for “losing sight of what we’re here for”.

“If you were to sit ABC management in a room and ask them what is it you do, it would be half an hour before they used the word ‘broadcasting’.

“The organisation is an unworkable morass of middle managers and non-thinkers, who are wrapped up in particular agendas.”

One of several press gallery journalists to express outrage at the axing of the political editor role at the ABC was John Kehoe, economics editor at The Australian Financial Review.

On Friday, he posted on Twitter: “Andrew Probyn redundancy exposes sad agenda of ABC news bosses. Woke, bias, out of touch with mid Australia & captured by Twitter far left. Probes – newshound, tough/fair on all parties & decent man. As taxpayer & journo, I’m flabbergasted.”