ABC managing director Mark Scott announced on Monday a raft of changes to the public broadcaster, aimed to offset $254million in lost federal government funding over the next five years.

Nowra is one of five regional radio posts to be axed, alongside Radio National’s rural program, Bush Telegraph. There will also be cuts to foreign news bureaus. 

More than 400 jobs will be lost across the organisation.

Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance federal secretary Chris Warren said the union was ‘‘deeply concerned’’ about the impact of the Nowra closure on the Shoalhaven community.

‘‘The Shoalhaven region relies on their ABC as a daily news service and this cut will put real pressure on already stretched ABC staff to cover the news south of Nowra and to provide the same discussion and exploration of local issues and events as it does now...this is certainly a blow to localism and does not reflect the ABC’s commitment to regional audiences,’’ he said.

Of the two full-time staff in Nowra, an open producer will moved  to Wollongong and journalist Ainslie Drewitt-Smith will reportedly work from home.

On Monday she tweeted: ‘‘Feeling for all of my ABC colleagues on this dark day. Such devastating news for so many. #OurABC #ABCcuts’’.

Politicians on all sides were quick to play the blame game.

In an open letter to Mr Scott, federal Member for Gilmore Ann Sudmalis called the decision ‘‘deplorable’’ and pointed the blame at ABC management, who she said took ‘‘the easy way out’’ by targeting rural and regional services.

‘‘If this closure goes ahead, it will be almost geographically impossible for the ABC to cover, in person, local news events between Nowra and Moruya on the NSW South Coast,’’ she wrote.

Liberal Member for South Coast Shelley Hancock also expressed her disappointment with the decision, describing the office as a ‘‘major asset’’ for the Shoalhaven.

Member for Throsby Stephen Jones laid the blame squarely with the Coalition government and MPs who had campaigned under a platform of no cuts to the ABC.

‘‘The decision to close ABC Nowra and four other ABC Radio sites is a slap in the face for regional Australia,’’ he said.

State editions of the ABC’s 7.30 program will also be axed and replaced with a national show on Fridays, while Lateline will be moved to a new fixed timeslot on ABC News 24.

ABC TV’s sports coverage will also be scaled back, with the axing of state-based local sports coverage and outside broadcast vans decommissioned.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott had declared it was not fair to exempt public broadcasters from wider cuts to the public service.