ABC programming cuts likely in budget review

Is the beloved Peppa Pig bound for the Abbottoir?

The program is the No.1 downloaded children's show on ABC's iView and attracts about two million views a month, but Abbott government budget cuts have forced the public broadcaster to look across its operations for savings.

While ABC managing director Mark Scott told a Senate estimates hearing on Wednesday the corporation had contracts in place to continue Peppa Pig in the immediate future, things were muddier down the track.

"The services we provide depend on the funding envelope," he said when asked about Peppa Pig's future.

Peppa Pig's programming was brought up by Labor Senator Louise Pratt, who asked if Peppa Pig would be safe from conservatives "concerned about her dangerous feminist ideology".

Columnist Piers Akerman used an article in 2013 to accuse the program of pushing "a weird feminist line".

Mr Scott offered to send committee chairman and Nationals Senator John Williams DVDs of the show for his education.

Senator Williams replied: "My brother and I are former pig farmers. I've seen enough of pigs."

Earlier in the hearing, Mr Scott warned programming cuts were likely.

"The easiest levers to pull in budget cuts are programming cuts," he said.