The ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie has planned to axe middle managers and supervisors to create $50 million content fund. The savings were expected to be returned to program makers in several years as a flatter management structure is introduced

The broadcast company's managers and supervisors were required to meet a headcount redundancy target in compliance to the plan. However, the percentage of the reduction target would be dependent in the different support divisions of the company. The divisions that would be affected were operations, technology, finance, property and capital planning. The manager and supervisors were required to examine the number of direct reports they have and to submit the names and numbers of positions affected by the redundancies.

The executive was hopeful that the staff members would favourably receive the content fund announcement. Guthrie has been open in showing her desire in ending the 50-50 budget split on content and expenditure currenly implemented in the company. She was aiming for 80-20 split were 80 percent of the company's budget to be spent on content across TV, radio and online.

In January 2017, the ABC director Richard Finlayson has resigned before the major restructuring that Guthrie planned. He said in a statement that he have decided that after more than three years, it was time to take the next stage of his career. In 2016, Finlayson axed the science program Catalyst with the loss of 17 jobs. According to The Australian, it is expected that the broadcast company would announce that David Anderson would replace Finlayson.

The ABC chief operating officer David Pendleton has resigned in January 2017 and would leave the end of the financial year. He was the fourth person to leave after Guthrie became the company's managing director. The ABC acknowledged Pendleton's pivotal role in shaping the ABC’s operational base and in its digital expansion. "He has provided outstanding service to a succession of ABC Boards and Managing Directors and his operational knowledge and financial expertise will be sorely missed. His input, guidance and leadership have been invaluable in managing one of the most complex media organisations in the country," the ABC said in a statement.

“It has been a privilege and an honour to contribute to Australia’s most respected media organisation. I am proud of my team’s achievements during my time here as we have evolved from an analogue to a digital broadcaster. I would like to acknowledge the many MDs, Chairs, Board Directors, colleagues and teams I have worked with in my time at the ABC. I am confident that I leave the ABC in great shape with its best years ahead,” Pendleton said. He resigned after 20 years in the company.

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