ABC country cuts worry Joyce
Senior Nationals will warn Malcolm Turnbull he must ensure cuts to the ABC do not damage regional and country news services.
Mr Turnbull is set to confirm today the ABC will suffer cuts of $50 million a year as the Government seeks to claw back savings to the Federal Budget.
The public broadcaster is warning it could be forced to take the axe to hundreds of jobs by Christmas, and may dump news programs such as the State-based editions of 7.30.
The ABC is also poised to hack back its foreign bureaus, with 20 jobs to go at its New Delhi, Tokyo, Bangkok and New Zealand offices.
But insiders are warning the cuts could also force the ABC to pare back country radio and television broadcasts.
Deputy leader of the Nationals Barnaby Joyce told The West Australian he would seek assurances from Mr Turnbull country people would not lose local news services.
“Radio in regional areas serves a crucial purpose,” Mr Joyce said.
“In some cases it serves as an emergency (warning) system.”
It has been reported that the ABC will slice $6 million off its radio budgets.
In the lead up to the federal election Tony Abbott promised a coalition Government would make no cuts to ABC or SBS.
Speaking in Adelaide, Mr Turnbull is also expected to discuss Government plans to allow SBS to carry more advertising during prime time hours.
The change would not see SBS show more advertisements overall, but would allow the broadcaster to shift ads from low rating times to the higher-rating prime time hours.
The plan is furiously opposed by commercial television broadcasters, who fear they will be competing with SBS for an finite amount of advertising money.
Any change to SBS’ advertising regime would have a difficult time passing through parliament, with Labor and the minor parties wary of allowing the public broadcaster to carry more ads.
