ABC confirms Q+A to be axed amid wider changes and scores of redundancies across the broadcaster
The ABC's Q+A program has been cancelled after 18 years, the broadcaster has confirmed, amid wider changes that will result in scores of redundancies across the public broadcaster.
The round of changes will fund new programming at the ABC under reforms yet to be announced by the new managing director Hugh Marks.
Marks, who joined the ABC in March, is set to unveil his first round of reforms at the public broadcaster, which Guardian Australia understands to include at least 80 redundancies across the ABC.
'Q+A was a groundbreaking program that had made a significant contribution to Australian society,' the ABC director of news, Justin Stevens, said.
'We're very proud of Q+A's great achievements over the years. The team has done a terrific job, including a strong performance during the federal election campaign,' he said. 'Discontinuing the program at this point is no reflection on anyone on the show.
Q+A presenter Patricia Karvelas, who will remain at the ABC, said she enjoyed spending time with the audience members who came to Q+A late on a Monday night.
'They have always been the reason for this show and I'm forever grateful to them for coming on national TV and having the courage to ask questions of powerful people,' she said.
Stevens said the cancellation of the program would result in redundancies 'and the loss of talented colleagues', but it is unclear how many.
The ABC said savings will be invested in another audience participation project, Your Say, which was a success during the election, and news documentaries in the vein of Killing Season and Nemesis, Stevens said.
'We're excited about being able to produce additional high impact, premium news documentary programs to complement the ABC's strong factual slate,' Stevens said
Stevens said as well as hosting Afternoon Briefing and the Politics Now podcast, Karvelas would do more Four Corners episodes as time permits.
The weekly flagship discussion program was launched in 2007 by veteran executive producer Peter McEvoy and host Tony Jones and was highly influential in its early years, regularly making headlines and setting the news agenda.
ABC staff were warned of looming cuts on Tuesday by the journalists' union, the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA), which told ABC members of colleagues being called into meetings with managers 'regarding a restructure'.
One of the divisions to be folded is the Innovation Lab, which was founded in 2018 to test and experiment with new content and technology to prepare the ABC for the future.
Headed up by digital content & innovation chief Angela Stengal, the team is believed to be as big as 10 and staff have been offered voluntary redundancy or the chance to go into a redundancy pool to compete for other positions.
Radio National staff in Brisbane, Adelaide and Victoria have been called into meetings, according to union sources.
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