ABC Regional director Fiona Reynolds hoses down controversy over programming changes

New ABC Regional director Fiona Reynolds has responded to rumours the axe is set to fall on the broadcaster's flagship "Mornings" regional radio programs.

Ms Reynolds said the programs were just undergoing a name change and there would be no job losses, no reduction in local broadcast hours and no budget cuts.

"We're still going to have the same presenters, we're going to have two programs, two presenters as we do now," she said.

"It's just about trying to ensure the resources are put at the times of day when the audiences are strongest, and that's around breakfast."

Under the changes, "Morning" programs will be folded into longer "Breakfast" programs, which will run until 10am before a new one-hour feature-based program, "Local Life", takes over.

Four local radio news bulletins will also go.

Full bulletins will remain at 6.30 and 7.30 in the morning, but the two afternoon bulletins will be replaced with a headline only service.

The changes have infuriated Coalition MPs including Ewen Jones, the Federal Member for Herbert in northern Queensland.

"Paula Tapiolas' program is not just about politics, it's about our community, the flavour and the texture and colour of our community and her role here in her two-and-a-half hours on air is vital," he said.

"It's not just about gardening feedback and that sort of thing.

"It's about our community and our sense of identity.

"And can I tell you, I'm not a great fan of Paula's because she beats the living daylights out of me, and I don't get a great run on the show, but it's not just about Ewen Jones.

"It's about the north, it's about our region."

But Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he had no reason to doubt ABC management.

"They're actually not saying this is a result to budget cuts at all," he told ABC local radio in Launceston.

"This is actually a programming change which the ABC management, which of course is responsible for programming, is in response to listener need.

"The ABC contends and I've got no reason to doubt them that there is no reduction in local regional content of any kind.

"I certainly accept the management of the ABC when they say that?"

Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss said he does not have a "high level of trust" in the ABC's commitment to regional broadcasting.

"Often the ABC has made promises about better programs but that's just led to cuts in jobs and more importantly jobs in localism," he said.

"It's this kind of approach where you can centralise everything and have it all done from one place, why not centralise it in a regional community instead of centralising it in Sydney."

No air time going back to metro

Ms Reynolds said the changes were nothing more than rescheduling, and ministers have created a storm in a country tea cup.

"It's basically just a shift in the start time of what is now called the 'Mornings' program," she said.

"I think if we had called that time slot between 10 and 11 'Mornings' instead of giving it a working title of 'Local Life', we wouldn't really be having this conversation."

Ms Reynolds said the new "Local Life" program will still be presented locally.

"We're not giving one minute of air time back to metro, from regional.

"Those audiences don't want the same thing.

"There's been quite a bit of concern created by misinformation without people having the facts."

Ms Reynolds said it will give regional staff more reporting opportunities.

"Our teams have been telling us for a long time that they are desk bound, and they can't get out and actually cover events as they happen, that they are busy sitting in the office and trying to get people on the phone instead of actually being out there getting the audio of the event and feeding it straight back into programs, feeding it into online and mobile as it happens," she said.

"Our audiences are telling us through the way that they consume their news and information that they want it as it happens, so we want to be able to provide that."