ABC boss responds to budget cuts

ABC Managing Director Mark Scott has appeared on Radio National breakfast with Ellen Fanning after the release of the budget.

Scott said: “Our concern is, if we find further efficiencies, they’re just swept off the table and that fundamentally could weaken the ABC as a viable public broadcaster of the digital era. So this is going to be a point of some debate and consultation with the communications minister in the months ahead.

“If you look at the evidence, nearly nine in 10 Australians say that the ABC today provides a valuable or very valuable service. Three quarters of the adult population watch, listen or log in every week. We have the overwhelming majority of children looking at our children’s programming every week. The Australian public is very happy with the ABC’s funding level, and the prospect that we’re going to rip millions more out and curtail the ABC’s ability to invest in the ABC’s future I think would not be greeted with support from the Australian people, and I’ll be making those arguments in Canberra.”

Watch the full chat below :-

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