Staff in sales and programming, as well as those working for its outdoor advertising arm, Eye Corp, face redundancy as a result of a strategic review ordered by interim chief executive Lachlan Murdoch in February.
Jim Carroll, the news director who hired 60 journalists for the extended news and current affairs schedule, resigned because he disagreed with the direction Ten was taking under Mr Murdoch. The Australian can reveal another Ten executive, Sydney station manager and head of broadcast control Darren Farnham, has also resigned.
Mr Farnham is the latest executive to stand down since Mr Murdoch and James Packer acquired 18 per cent of the free-to-air network in November and began to dismantle some of the news strategy. Carroll's well-attended farewell was held at the Lord Dudley pub in inner Sydney on Friday and the mood was sombre as news spread of the fate of many of the journalists working in newsrooms across the country.
About 90 staff, including programmers David Mott and Beverley McGarvey and state news directors, toasted Carroll's 10-year tenure at the network at what was seen as a last hurrah before the axe fell.
On-air staff who attended included newsreaders Natarsha Belling, Deb Knight, Kath Robinson and Brad McEwan.
Executives who have left the network since November include chairman Nick Falloon, chief executive Grant Blackley, head of sport David White, chief financial officer John Kelly, head of integrated sales Jude Allen, and chief digital officer Nick Spooner.
The network's news department, which received a massive $20 million boost six months ago, is expected to be hit hard by the cost restructure. A significant proportion of the sixty journalists hired by Ten as part of the news expansion are now under threat.
The future of current affairs programme 6.30 with George Negus is also in doubt, the Herald Sun reports. While the move to 6:30pm has improved its standing, the show remains well behind the offerings on Seven and Nine.
However, network insiders believe Ten Late Night News and Sports Tonight will be dropped before anything else. Such a decision could make longtime newsreader Sandra Sully the first high-profile casualty. The Daily Telegraph also claims Ten's local weekend news bulletins could be axed.
Ten already confirmed last week that it would not pursue rights to any AFL games from next year.
Meanwhile, Ten's Sydney station manager and head of broadcast control, Darren Farnham, is reportedly the latest executive to resign. It follows news director Jim Carroll stepping down earlier this month after disagreeing with the direction Murdoch is taking the network.
These represent just two in a long line of executive departures since Murdoch and James Packer purchased 18 per cent of Ten in November. Others include chairman Nick Falloon, chief executive Grant Blackley, general manager for sport David White, chief financial officer John Kelly, head of integrated sales Judy Allen, and chief digital officer Nick Spooner.
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