Channel 7 has cut its nightly Gold Coast 7News television bulletin, with the final bulletin to air this Thursday. 

In a statement, Seven said it was modernising the way it operated its nightly 6pm metropolitan news, with the Gold Coast office to run as a bureau. 

Channel 7 said a small number of roles will be affected with the majority of staff able to stay on the Gold Coast or offered positions in Brisbane. 

Australia's largest media union the Media Entertainment Arts Alliance (MEAA) has come out swinging against the news organisation, calling the decision a "betrayal of its audience". 

"The reality is that this is a poorly thought through cost-saving measure that will diminish the network’s ability to provide public interest journalism to the people of the Gold Coast," an MEAA spokesperson said.

"With a population of about 650,000, the Gold Coast has a thriving economy, national sporting teams, and is likely to play a role in the 2032 Olympic Games.

"Today's announcement is another example of a failing commercial media business model that puts shareholder returns above quality journalism for the public." 

The union is urging the network to rethink the decision. 

'They're all on their phones'

Bond University assistant professor of journalism Rob Layton said the decision could be due to changing consumer habits. 

"They're all on their phones and that's where they get their information from."

Mr Layton was worried that fewer journalists on the Gold Coast could impact the growing city's quality of news. 

"Competition is a good thing to maintain a healthy industry," he said. 

"One of journalism's strongest areas is regional or local journalism, so it's a sad day and it's not really a good outcome for anyone."