ABC political editor Andrew Probyn has been made redundant by national broadcaster, as it unveils sweeping cuts.
Probyn said the ABC had told him it “no longer need[ed] a political editor and they want to reinvest the money into social and digital reporting roles”.
“I’ve been informed that the national broadcaster no longer need a political editor and that they want to reinvest the money into social and digital reporting roles,” he told Guardian Australia on Thursday.
“Very good luck to the ABC. I’m still trying to get to come to terms with it. I am very proud of all the stories I’ve broken at the ABC and the determination and vigour with which I’ve brought to political reporting at the national broadcaster.”
Probyn joined the ABC from The West Australian in 2016, and has remained a key part of its political coverage. In the early days of the COVID pandemic, he became a meme after clashing with then prime minister Scott Morrison at a media briefing.
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Probyn is the highest-profile journalist so far to be targeted in a cull of as many as 100 jobs at the ABC ahead of a major restructure that begins on July 1.
Other cuts are yet to be confirmed, as they were announced in a company-wide email on Thursday afternoon.
However, the Nine newspapers are reporting that the ABC will also abolish its standalone arts team for the first time, including its digital arts editor. The team will be distributed across the newsroom.
Thursday’s lay-offs come a week after the ABC unveiled a new five-year plan. Managing director David Anderson flagged a “significant transition” for the national broadcaster.
“As technology, audience behaviour and demographic changes transform the media market and society, the ABC must also adapt and evolve,” he said.
Over the next five years, the ABC will undergo a significant transition from maintaining both traditional broadcast and digital processes towards becoming an integrated digital operation. While broadcast will remain important, this five-year plan is a first step to build an ABC that is prepared for a digital-majority audience.”
Mr Anderson said the organisation would enhance its primary digital products, ABC News, ABC iview and ABC listen “to provide a seamless, personalised service that enables audiences to more easily discover content that is relevant to them”.
“As Australia changes, so must the ABC,” he said.
“This means changing to meet the needs of our audiences wherever they live. We will continue to serve all Australians, contribute to our national identity and remain an essential part of daily life.”
