ABC Staff Stage 20-Year Strike, Disrupting Broadcasts

0:00It's March 24th. Welcome in. This is Sydney News Today, where local news meets AI. ABC staff are set to stage their first strike in 20 years, with more than 2,000 workers walking off the job for a 24-hour period starting at 11.00 a.m. on Wednesday. This industrial action targets both television and radio programming across the public broadcasters networks, forcing major schedule shakeups to fill the gaps. Key shows like the flagship current affairs program, 7,000,000, will go off air that evening, replaced by a rerun of haste-he's-his from last December. The 7-th outer PM news bulletin is also scrubbed, swapped for an episode of Australian story, while pre-recorded hits such as The Weekly, with Charlie. Pickering stick to their 8,000-3 p.m. slot unaffected. Presidents have already started warning listeners about changes ahead, with hosts like Katherine Robinson and Thomas Ority confirming they won't be on air.

1:00The strike stems from Union pushback, by groups like the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, hitting live news and top programs hardest. Radio networks face the biggest disruptions, leaning on BBC feeds, syndicated content, and reruns for shows like Egg Late Night Live and Breakfasts. Audioboss Ben Latimer noted local programming will vary by market, with some stations keeping more homegrown material than others. Extra security will patrol ABC's main office buildings to keep things safe for remaining staff and visitors, as the broadcaster navigates this rare. Walk out in its ripple effects on daily broadcasts.