Sunday night South Australian ABC news bulletin saved in 2023 after cuts reversed by national broadcaster
The Sunday night South Australian-based news bulletin continued to be presented from Adelaide's ABC studios after the national broadcaster abandoned planned cuts in 2023.
The ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) reversed a decision in 2023 to scrap state-based television news bulletins, including South Australia's, on Sunday nights.
The national broadcaster announcedthe cost-saving plan in June 2023 to introduce a national TV news bulletin on Sunday evenings, attracting widespread criticism including from state premiers.
South Australian premier Peter Malinauskas wrote to managing director David Anderson Anderson and chair Ita Buttrose expressing his “alarm”: “While I understand and applaud the ABC’s desire to innovate and expand into the digital space, it appears local news is in retreat. I am concerned the decision to remove the South Australian 7pm Sunday night television bulletin will diminish state political coverage, which is critical to an informed debate in our local political discourse. The local Sunday night 7pm bulletin remains the most-watched ABC News program in South Australia by some margin. I am among the more than 62,000 South Australians who regularly tune in.” Buttrose indicated the decision was under review in her response to the premier: “Thank you for your letter, I hear you. We’re looking into the issues you raised in your eloquent letter.”
Anderson later told ABC staff that, while that the cuts to Sunday night state-base bulletins would be scrapped, other changes announced would continue as part of the ABC’s “digital transition” away from television and radio to digital and to chase a younger audience via social media apps such as Instagram or TikTok: “As audiences of every demographic continue to move to primarily consuming ABC News content via digital platforms, we will continue to adjust our efforts and resources to meet their needs. This will require us to identify more savings for further reinvestment over the course of the Five-Year Plan.”
In 2014, ABC Adelaide's three television production studios at Collinswood were closed after operating for about 55 years, along with the Port Augusta radio post and the South Australian 7.30 current affairs edition, because of Australian government cuts to the national broadcaster's budget over the next five years.
