SABC station managers targeted in massive shake-up: Here’s what you need to know

The management at SABC radio stations have been given a major shake-up amid the broadcaster’s financial woes and mass retrenchments.

The SABC confirmed the restructuring in a statement to TshisaLIVE this week, but said the retrenchments would not affect operations at the stations.

“The SABC can confirm the new organisational structure came with changes for all affected positions, including titles and reporting lines. However, this will not in any way affect the corporation’s operations.

“It must be noted radio management remains a critical function for the organisation. In the new structure, marketing managers will be reporting directly to corporate affairs and marketing to ensure efficiency in the delivery of the organisation’s marketing objectives,” said spokesperson Mmoni Seapolelo.

The move also sees the titles of station managers rebranded to business managers.

“This will ensure business managers of each station take full ownership of the profit and loss responsibility, drive revenue and listenership growth while fulfilling the SABC’s mandate of informing, educating and entertaining South Africans.

“SABC management is confident its turnaround plan, which is geared at ensuring a sustainable and financially viable public broadcaster and has already begun bearing fruitful results in terms of revenue generation, will be further enhanced by the transition into the new fit-for-purpose structure and target operating model,” Mmoni said.

The broadcaster announced late last year that it would cut around 400 jobs, down from an original projection of 600, after reporting a R511m loss for the financial year ending in March and a decline in revenue from R6.4bn the previous year to R5.7bn.

 TV licence revenue also declined 18% year-on-year to R791m.