The Director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's international department says Radio Australia still remains at the heart of the ABC's international service.
The Director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's international department says Radio Australia still remains at the heart of the ABC's international service.
Lynley Marshall told this to staff members after announcing that about 80 jobs are expected to be lost alongside several of their services to the region.
The ABC has had to revise a proposed new model to its audience in the region after losing 60 percent of its annual budget due to government cuts.
Indira Moala has more.
The Australia Network, currently a 24/7 TV network will cease broadcasting to the Pacific within weeks and will be replaced by a daily six hour service with a mix of content from the ABC and other Australian television production companies. Several of Radio Australia's programmes will be axed but its flagship breakfast news programme Pacific Beat will continue. $21m of its $35m annual budget for the region is being cut and a spokesperson for the ABC, John Woodward, says they will continue to look at delivering on all platforms on a much smaller scale and to fewer territories. Mr Woodward says the new proposed model is sustainable and it leverages off the ABC's existing partnerships across the region. Mr Woodward says only one Pacific international correspondent position will be affected.
