Leigh Sales former 7.30 host backs the ABC’s mass layoffs where political editor was axed

Leigh Sales supported the ABC’s job carnage, claiming “it’s change or death” in the rapidly evolving media landscape.

The Australian Story presenter, who presented current affairs program 7.30 for more than a decade, said she believes her job is safe for now – despite 120 colleagues being laid off next month in a major overhaul at the national broadcaster.

One of the high-profile names thrown out last week was Andrew Probyn, political editor of the ABC, which caused quite a stir.

Andrew Probyn (pictured), ABC political editor, was one of 120 staff to lose their jobs at the national broadcaster

The ABC says it doesn’t need a political editor, so does it make the role obsolete? What a damn embarrassment for a national broadcaster,” former Channel Ten political editor Peter van Onselen tweeted after the news broke.

But now legendary ABC journalist Leigh Sales has given her support to the mass layoffs.

She said she had seen ABC staff being laid off in the past and said it was “always upsetting.”

“But the reality is I know the way I consume media has changed so drastically — I don’t watch anything on a schedule now, I literally shift every single thing I watch,” Sales shared. Nine newspapers.

Sales, a former 7.30 presenter, said she thought her job as the host of ABC TV’s weekly documentary series Australian Story would be safe

So I just accept the reality that things are different now, and we have to keep adapting and evolving and changing if we want to stay relevant to the audience. So while it’s always sad to see things change – and change is always difficult – it’s really change or death in the media landscape.”

Sales said she doesn’t think her job will be affected by the sweeping changes at the ABC.

“I think it (my role) will stay the same, but you never know,” she said.

“I haven’t heard otherwise.”

Sales made $280,400 a year in 2017, and her salary may have increased since then.

Sales has been nominated today for a Gold Logie for her time in charge of 7.30, which is now hosted by Sarah Ferguson.

The large-scale layoffs come a few months after Laura Tingle was elected as staff-elected director of ABC’s board of directors.

Tingle, 7:30’s chief political correspondent, campaigned to give staff a stronger independent voice.

The 7.30am chief political correspondent, Laura Tingle (pictured), and about two dozen other journalists retain their jobs at the ABC bureau in Canberra

“It’s the board’s job to scrutinize management decisions that affect both the company as a whole and, of course, the workforce,” Tingle said when announcing her candidacy.

It is clear that Tingle and about two dozen political reporters will be retraining their roles in the Canberra bureau, including other senior journalists such as David Speers, Greg Jennett and Nour Haydar.

Tingle has not yet publicly commented on the layoffs.

Last week, Probyn said he struggled to see the rationale behind removing the political editor role.

“I’m struggling to understand the direction the ABC is going in that it might not consider the role of political editor necessary,” he told the newspaper. Australian financial statement.

ABC executive David Anderson said the national broadcaster needs to focus more on digital to better serve its audience.

“The ABC will enhance its primary digital products, ABC News, ABC iview and ABC listen, to provide a seamless, personalized service that makes it easier for audiences to discover content that is relevant to them,” he said at the unveiling of the ABC’s new five-year plan.

However, there are reports that Probyn was fired over disputes with bosses over a beer fridge and coverage of Lidia Thorpe’s ex-boyfriend.

Other changes at the ABC include replacing Sunday night state news bulletins with a single national bulletin.

The organization’s top two art journalists will also be fired.