The Mercury - 22 December 2011
CONCERNS are growing that local content and jobs are in serious jeopardy at the ABC.Community and Public Sector Union regional secretary Paul Blake said there were fears dozens of jobs could be lost if further internal production was not commissioned for the state.
Mr Blake said it was imperative a local football deal was negotiated to ensure the outside broadcast van remained in the state.
The call follows comments made by ABC managing director Mark Scott that internal television production at ABC Tasmania is not guaranteed next year.
An ABC spokeswoman said yesterday ABC TV will also produce 75 per cent of its program hours internally.
However, Mr Blake said that after the loss of Gardening Australia and Collectors in recent years, local production had seriously diminished.
The ABC spokesperson said an internal production team would be maintained in Hobart for Auction Room.
"Subsequent internal program commissioning in Tasmania will depend upon audience response to the Auction Room series."
Tasmanian Friends of the ABC president Melissa Sharp said reducing production in Tasmania could have long-term impacts for the state.
"One point is the loss of jobs in Tasmania. But the other issue is that we will lose the capacity to train up quality production staff. Once that is gone it is very hard to get it back again."
Australian Greens deputy leader Christine Milne yesterday called on the Tasmanian community to fight for a greater commitment from the national broadcaster.
Ms Milne said the loss of ABC production staff could jeopardise the state's growing reputation as a destination for film production.
"In Hobart, we have a great pool of talented, highly skilled and trained TV production staff and it would be wrong if they had to go to the mainland or overseas to get work when the facilities exist here to do the job," Ms Milne said.
"Not only would such a decision be a blow to TV but the local film industry also depends on the maintenance of skilled production capacity and any move to end internal TV production in Tasmania would undermine growth in Tasmania's appeal as a film location," she said.
