The ABC will suffer without continued government funding

The ABC has warned there will be “significant job losses” if Malcolm Turnbull does not commit ongoing funding for our national broadcaster.

Outgoing ABC boss Mark Scott said that $90 million worth of funding committed by the former Labor government is essential for future development.

“If we don’t get the news money, jobs will go”, Mark Scott warned. “I’ve said to Canberra that there clearly will be content and programming consequences if that money doesn’t come back”.

The ABC has argued for extra funding since 2013, and the national broadcaster has already experienced a loss of specialist journalists.

Mr Scott believes that without funding, Australia’s quality of journalism will fall. “That argument has only got stronger.. even in the last fortnight with what’s happened at Fairfax”, he said.

As he leaves the ABC, Mr Scott has guaranteed “one sure bet” that regional journalism will suffer, especially since “the commercial sector can’t afford it”.

He argued that Australia still needs foreign correspondents, quality current affairs and rural news. Mr Scott said without funding for ABC’s continued digital expansion, everyday Aussies will lose out.

“We’d still be held with great affection by the Australian people but we wouldn’t be relevant, we wouldn’t be as compelling and I don’t think our future would be as healthy as it is today”.

Should the government be supporting our national broadcaster? Are you worried about the ABC’s future?