ABC staff and content cuts expected after funding slashed

ABC staff will soon learn there will be "significant" job losses across the entire country as the broadcaster deals with government funding cuts.

ABC Managing Director Mark Scott said Monday would be particularly difficult for ABC employees, when they find out the extent of the cuts at a nation-wide meeting.

But Mr Scott said he was confident in the resilience of the ABC and its staff and hopes audiences won't suffer from the cuts.

Amid speculation about cutbacks on ABC's rural and regional services, Mr Scott confirmed they would be prioritised in the restructure.

"ABC is held with great love, great affection and provides a vitally important role in rural and regional Australia," Mr Scott said.

The ABC is reassessing several aspects of its business, including the number and location of foreign correspondents around the world.

"We're finding it hard to keep a strong investment in our foreign correspondents," he told a Senate estimates hearing on Thursday.

South Australia's television production house could also face the axe, risking 150 jobs.

Mr Scott wouldn't confirm the fate of Adelaide's local production, ABC's only television studio outside of Melbourne or Sydney.

"I appreciate it's an area of some concern," he said.

But he said the only way to keep internal studios viable was to keep them fully utilised and operating - a task more difficult outside major cities like Sydney.

Cabinet minister Christopher Pyne, whose seat is in South Australia, has started an online petition asking the ABC board not to close the studio.

Mr Scott also refused to confirm if ABC would exit digital radio, as recommended in the government's public broadcaster efficiency review.

Commercial Radio Australia says the industry would collapse if ABC exited, leaving about one million owners of digital radios with an expensive paperweight.

Previous efficiencies at ABC have been reinvested into new products, like ABC 24 or iView, however if those efficiencies are no longer available content would have to be reassessed.

"Programs come and programs go," Mr Scott said.

"That's what we will need to do if we're to free up money for online and mobile."

Mr Scott refused to confirm how many jobs would be cut but said it would roll out over time.

The government has not provided the money to pay out redundancies, forcing ABC to foot the bill - potentially by selling off assets.

Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Wednesday announced the cuts, which span over five years and come on top of the axing of the Australia Network earlier in the year.

Mr Scott said the ABC had lost 1000 years of experience and "some great talent" when that contract was terminated.

SBS has also been asked to find $53 million over the same period.

As a possible savings measure, ABC has asked SBS to join its offices in Melbourne - which are currently under construction.

Australian Greens senator Scott Ludlam suggested ABC could put up a paywall for its online content to raise funding.

But Mr Scott said Australians shouldn't have to pay twice for ABC content.

Mr Scott will travel the country next week to address ABC offices in each city.

WHAT MARK SCOTT SAID

* "Our staff will learn on Monday that there will be significant job cuts at the ABC."

* "I'm confident in the resilience of the ABC and I'm confident in our staff"

* "I'm not crying poor."

* "Programs come, programs go."

* "When the minister called me and said he wanted to do an efficiency review, I welcomed that."

* "If the ABC cannot keep its efficiency funding, then we will need to look at our content."

* "ABC is held with great love, great affection and provides a vitally important role in rural and regional Australia." * "Let's not be simplistic, we absolutely embrace a commitment to put audiences first."