New wave of cuts, axing and pushback

Germany: DW latest international broadcaster to face cuts

More than 160 jobs will be cut at the German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle, after the Federal Council reduced its funding by more than 10 millions euros. On top of the job losses, the broadcaster will also reduce several programmes and close its Greek language service. 

“Numerous positions across the organisation will be eliminated, and investment funds significantly reduced. In purely numerical terms, around 160 full-time positions are affected, although the final number may vary. There will be no layoffs,” the broadcaster said in a statement. 

The DW Broadcasting Council chair Karl Justen lamented the cuts, saying: “DW must remain a strong voice for freedom, especially in restricted media markets such as Russia and Iran. To do that, it needs reliable, long-term funding. Due to the cuts, the broadcaster will have to expect significant losses in reach.”

Justen added it was “particularly troubling” that funding is being reduced “as Russia and China are investing heavily in their state-run propaganda outlets while the US withdrawal from international broadcasting is creating further gaps.”

The European Federation of Journalists said the cuts would jeopardise the access to free and fair information for millions around the world. “Western governments are clearly not taking seriously the need to protect media pluralism and the right of citizens to have access to free and independent information,” said EFJ President Maja Sever. 

“In a context of global tension and increasing authoritarianism, media pluralism must be invested in rather than sacrificed. These decisions are politically irresponsible”.

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South Korea: Debate over KBS board

The board of public broadcaster KBS has debated whether to appoint a new chairman, with the fallout from several political appointments and subsequent court cases continuing to reverberate. 

Local media reported that a debate erupted at a meeting this week over whether a new chair is needed, after a court recently overthrew several appointments by former president Yoon Seok-yeol. 

Yoon was last week sentenced to life in prison over his botched attempt to impose military rule in December 2024. 

A Seoul court earlier this month ruled that seven appointments made by Yoon to the KBS board were illegal, a decision that has not been challenged by the administration of current president Lee Jae-myung. 

At this week’s meeting, current chair Seo Ki-seok argued that appointing a new chair would violate the Broadcasting Act and KBS’s Articles of Incorporation. The meeting did not reach a conclusion. 

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Ireland: New management plan rejected by RTÉ staff 

Union members have rejected en masse a reform plan proposed by RTÉ management, stating it would be a “fatal blow” to Irish public broadcasting. 

The 2025-2029 management strategy, which is now in its second year of implementation, aims to secure the future of RTÉ in a rapidly evolving media landscape. 

The strategy aims to modernise the organisation, its content and its broadcasting services, notably by outsourcing some of the productions. It also involves cutting measures, including staff. 

Two weeks ago, the SIPTU union launched a ballot for its members, asking if they have confidence in the broadcaster’s senior leadership team and its reform strategy for the public broadcaster. 

Nearly half of RTÉ staff voted no confidence in the reform strategy. Adrian Kane, from the STIPU, described it as a way of inflicting “death by a thousand cuts” to RTÉ. The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) branch at RTE extended their support to their colleagues. 

The ballot was acknowledged by RTÉ, however Kevin Backhurst also stated that the strategy is needed as RTE needs “to change to survive and prosper; to defend the public service values we all believe in; and to deliver for our audiences in an ever more competitive market”.

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Argentina: Government looks to further shrink public media

The government in Argentina is continuing with its push to shrink public media, this week announcing a plan to try and get as many as 600 public media employees to opt for voluntary retirement. 

The measure applies to Radio y Televisión Argentina (RTA) and Contenidos Públicos, which together employ 2,200 people. 

When asked about public media last week, government chief of staff Manuel Adorni said: “It can’t be privatised because the law doesn’t allow it. Therefore, the only option left is to cut spending to a minimum.”

This push is the latest in president Javier Milei’s campaign to reduce the size of public media in Argentina. 

Next month will mark two years since the public media agency Télam was shut down, a move which was paired with other broad cuts to public media.

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