The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has announced it will close its online ABC Shop business by the end of the year.
Tit will also close the in-store ABC Centres.
General Manager of ABC Commercial, Andrew Lambert said that under the corporation’s plans, ABC DVDs, music, books, toys and other merchandise would remain widely available through approved retailers, both online and in stores around Australia.
He said consultation with employees and union representatives on the proposal had already begun.
“ABC Shop Online and the ABC Centres are an important part of the ABC’s commercial operations, and these decisions are never taken lightly,” Mr Lambert said.
“This proposal directly responds to the changing market, in particular consumers’ shift to digital delivery of audio and visual content.”
He said that this, coupled with the intensifying global competition affecting the entire retail sector and the resulting decline in physical sales, meant the retail business was becoming increasingly unviable.
Mr Lambert said it was anticipated there would be up to 16 redundancies as a result of the proposal.
“Once consultation concludes, the ABC will keep our valued customers fully informed on how their favourite products can continue to be purchased,” he said.
He noted that ABC Retail was part of ABC Commercial, the revenue-generating division of the ABC.
ABC Commercial contributed all its profits to content producers at the ABC and received no taxpayer funding.
