Breakfast hosts Chris Chang, Jenny-May Clarkson, Anna Burns-Francis and Daniel Faitaua. Photo: Facebook / Breakfast
TVNZ has proposed cutting several roles within its Breakfast and Seven Sharp shows, RNZ understands.
It's also understood, the broadcaster has proposed cutting its only Northland reporter role and having Northland stories covered by its Auckland office, along with reducing one South Island reporter role.
TVNZ reporters and camera operators are among those being called to meetings on Thursday to hear more about company's plans to axe 50 jobs in a bid to save $30 million.
The company has proposed to get rid of 90 roles and create 41 new ones.
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Two staff members told RNZ camera operators are having meetings on Thursday morning and reporters for the 6pm news bulletin meetings later in the afternoon.
They said the current proposal is to reduce four camera operators in Auckland, up to two in Christchurch and one in Wellington.
The entire Q+A team and some staff from the One News website will be attending meetings later on Thursday as well.
TVNZ said the proposals include dis-establishing roles, reducing roles, and changing reporting lines.
Another TVNZ staff member told RNZ almost everyone at the company had been scheduled for a meeting.
"You'd almost find it harder to find someone that isn't affected," they said.
Last week TVNZ backtracked on its earlier decision to close its 1News website, it then said it would retain a reduced version of the website.
Photo: RNZ/Marika Khabazi
E tū union confirmed staff are being invited to individual and small group meetings.
Negotiation specialist Michael Wood said staff have been through a lot this year and were feeling worried about their jobs - and about TVNZ's outsourcing plans.
The job cuts at TVNZ would have a significant impact on its staff and its news and current affairs capacity, Wood said.
"There are small cuts across nearly every team, with some specific roles being disestablished, and other cuts in the form of reduced roles in teams.
There had been more significant reductions in camera operator roles, Wood said, which would have a big impact on coverage of news in the regions.
Media and communications minister Paul Goldsmith said TVNZ needed to be economically stable but the proposed job cuts would be difficult for people.
There was no question it was a difficult time in the media space, Goldsmith said, but TVNZ needed to ensure its expenses were in line with its revenue.
It was up to TVNZ how it allocated its resources, he said.
A powerpoint slide that TVNZ chief executive Jodi O'Donnell shared with staff last week said it was proposing to outsource some content workflow and technology areas from FY26 onwards.
The slide stated TVNZ had received a large amount of feedback from staff regarding proposed changes, and the executive team needed more time to consider the feedback before making decisions.
It said TVNZ had decided to defer a decision on the proposal to early December.
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