TVNZ to cut Breakfast, Seven Sharp roles amid $30m savings plan

Thursday, 7 November 2024

Hilary Barry and Jeremy Wells on Seven Sharp.

Breakfast and Seven Sharp will have roles cut as part of a restructure at TVNZ.

The broadcaster is proposing to cut 50 roles across the business in order to save $30m.

Stuff understands both individual and group meetings will be taking place throughout the day on Thursday.

TVNZ is making cuts to its Breakfast and Seven Sharp shows.

Stuff understands it will cut down to just two hosts on its popular Breakfast show.

Breakfast is currently hosted by Jenny-May Clarkson, Daniel Faitaua, Anna Burns-Francis and Chris Chang.

The current line up of TVNZ's Breakfast.

The plan would also see three reporters and two part-time producers gone from Seven Sharp, as well as reducing camera department roles by six, Stuff understands.

In a statement to Stuff on Thursday, a TVNZ spokesperson said the company has entered into consultation with staff around proposed structural changes to the business.

The head offices and studios for the national television broadcaster TVNZ are on Hobson St, in central Auckland.

They added that out of respect to staff privacy, they wouldn’t be providing details on specific areas or roles impacted by the proposal.

Weeks after the state-owned broadcaster announced a $16 million loss and cancelled Sunday and Fair Go, three executives went to LA.

The proposal would see TVNZ cut 50 jobs from its around 600 staff in an effort to save the state broadcaster $30 million.

An email sent by chief executive Jodi O’Donnell to TVNZ staff obtained by Stuff, said they’re proposing to disestablish 90.5 roles and establish 41, meaning a total of 49.5 roles will be axed.

Stuff understands both individual and group meetings will be taking place throughout the day on Thursday.

RNZ reported camera operators will be in meetings on Thursday morning and reporters in the 6pm news bulletin team later that afternoon.

The outlet also believes The Q+A team and some staff in the One News website team were also said to be at afternoon meetings.

TVNZ has said the proposals include disestablishing roles, reducing roles and changing reporting lines

Minister for Media and Communications Paul Goldsmith told Stuff it is a challenging time for media, but that ultimately, operational decisions are for TVNZ.

“It’s a challenging time for those working in media and broadcasting at the moment. But obviously, TVNZ has to be economically sustainable,” Goldsmith said.

He added, “ultimately, structural changes are operational decisions for TVNZ to speak to.”