Regional publisher Johnston Press is planning to introduce a new editorial system which some staff fear may mean the disappearance of most of the company’s sub-editors.

The proposed changes, which have not been formally announced, came to light in a recent half-yearly message to staff from JP’s chief executive John Fry.

He wrote: “We have signed contracts with a supplier of a new editorial and content management system. This will facilitate better content throughout our websites as well as provide our staff with a better system with which to work.

“We are also exploring further partnerships to enable us to upgrade our digital offerings and these will be announced as they are concluded.”

Although the company is seeking to present the proposed move to staff as a positive development which demonstrates it is bouncing back after the downturn, it has set alarm bells ringing in some quarters.

Insiders claim the new system will mean reporters writing onto a template on a pre-designed page, and also writing headlines for both the paper and the web.

Copy would then be subbed by the newsdesk and the page completed by the editor or deputy, with subs being retained only for page-design purposes.

In a further move, notices have gone up at some JP centres asking for editorial trainers on an 18-month secondment which staff believe is linked to the introduction of the new system.

One journalist at a JP centre in the Midlands said: “It looks as though the long-rumoured clear out of subs will be happening at Johnston Press.

“They want people to train reporters how to use a new system, which will see reporters write directly onto pages. Therefore, no subs required!”

Another insider claimed senior managers have been told not to discuss the new system with staff. “I’ve asked two senior editors and been stonewalled both times,” he said.

Johnston Press has been made aware of the staff members’ concerns, but has said only that there will be “no formal announcement” about the new system at the present time.

Comments

Gladtobeoutofit (21/09/2009 09:06:48)
No subs? Reporters writing onto the page? Writing headlines?
Perhaps it’s time for JP’s worried subs to retrain as libel lawyers. They’ll soon have plenty of work!
It’s good to see JP leading again…in the race to kill off a once great industry.

JP Worker (21/09/2009 09:07:34)
Re – Mr Fry’s statement: “…provide our staff with a better system with which to work.”
Hands up anyone working in a newsroom who agrees with this statement? When will the bean-counters and marketing men step back and realise they are destroying local papers?

Ex-JP employee (21/09/2009 09:50:21)
Anybody who isn’t sure just how JP has contibuted to the local newspaper industry should take a look at some their papers. the versions in my region are quite simply dreadful. Yet they weren’t before JP took them on…

Fox Mulder (21/09/2009 10:05:21)
Well, this has been coming for 18 months, so I’m not surprised. Although this article merely repackages a lot of the newsroom gossip and worries that people have for their jobs an d is somewhat light on facts, it’s perhaps more telling to see JP failing to dispel these rumours. Looke like there’s a storm coming…

deletedhack (21/09/2009 15:09:50)
It’s a shame all those subs who relocated to the lovely “hubs” thinking they would at least hang on to a job. Well done JP – a master stroke in duplicity there.
The local paper I was deleted from lost half its editorial staff and it really shows. Once the reporters start subbing as well there really will be no news at all, apart from reconstituted releases.
Look out snappers – you’ll be next.

Subbed out (21/09/2009 17:22:13)
JP is holding presentations on the new system (which they say will be installed across the company in the next four months) this week. So, hopefully then we will all know more.

Em&En (05/10/2009 15:58:46)
JP’s chief executive John Fry wrote: “We have signed contracts with a supplier of a new editorial and content management system. This will facilitate better content throughout our websites as well as provide our staff with a better system with which to work . . . does he know it’s two systems knitted together . . . good luck chaps in the IT department . . . or is this a way of securing IT jobs . . . who chose this system, sorry these systems?