Comments on: Outspoken editor receives notice of redundancy http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2011/news/editor-receives-notice-of-redundancy/ The home of UK regional journalism news and jobs Fri, 17 May 2013 14:55:35 +0000 hourly 1 By: sash http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2011/news/editor-receives-notice-of-redundancy/#comment-13632 sash Thu, 18 Aug 2011 08:54:48 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1614640#comment-13632 scotty dog No, fact. Education, culture and life-long learning committee. Last year. scotty dog

No, fact. Education, culture and life-long learning committee. Last year.

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]]> By: Hack's Yer Lot http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2011/news/editor-receives-notice-of-redundancy/#comment-13629 Hack's Yer Lot Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:21:19 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1614640#comment-13629 You would think someone high up in the JP chain of command would be by now asking some very serious questions as to why this has happened. For 24 people to be on indefinite strike now for 24 days suggests to me just how rotten things have become at South Yorkshire Newspapers. A sign of sheer desperation that no-one is listening. You would think someone high up in the JP chain of command would be by now asking some very serious questions as to why this has happened.
For 24 people to be on indefinite strike now for 24 days suggests to me just how rotten things have become at South Yorkshire Newspapers.
A sign of sheer desperation that no-one is listening.

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]]> By: ScottyDog http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2011/news/editor-receives-notice-of-redundancy/#comment-13628 ScottyDog Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:01:43 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1614640#comment-13628 sash - "Your post conflicts with comments he made at a Scottish Parliamentary committee.." That's irony, right? sash – “Your post conflicts with comments he made at a Scottish Parliamentary committee..”

That’s irony, right?

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]]> By: sash http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2011/news/editor-receives-notice-of-redundancy/#comment-13604 sash Tue, 16 Aug 2011 13:57:06 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1614640#comment-13604 observer, scotland Interesting about the Johnstons but I get the feeling you don't know the son. Your post conflicts with comments he made at a Scottish Parliamentary committee hearing last year that were reported later by Greenslade and this site. observer, scotland

Interesting about the Johnstons but I get the feeling you don’t know the son. Your post conflicts with comments he made at a Scottish Parliamentary committee hearing last year that were reported later by Greenslade and this site.

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]]> By: Insider http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2011/news/editor-receives-notice-of-redundancy/#comment-13601 Insider Tue, 16 Aug 2011 10:39:50 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1614640#comment-13601 JP stand condemned by their silence. There is no defence to the truth. This will prove a costly strategy as Jim, an eloquent and forceful speaker with right on his side, continues to hold the high ground and bombard them with facts about their disgraceful ruination of the industry, and lives. He has given up a fat pay-off to avoid signing a gagging clause - he is a hero in a profession full of management mice content to do the dirty work of the JP fat cats. JP stand condemned by their silence. There is no defence to the truth. This will prove a costly strategy as Jim, an eloquent and forceful speaker with right on his side, continues to hold the high ground and bombard them with facts about their disgraceful ruination of the industry, and lives. He has given up a fat pay-off to avoid signing a gagging clause – he is a hero in a profession full of management mice content to do the dirty work of the JP fat cats.

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]]> By: Ex-Ex http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2011/news/editor-receives-notice-of-redundancy/#comment-13573 Ex-Ex Fri, 12 Aug 2011 16:39:42 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1614640#comment-13573 Bravo Jim Oldfield. I wish the editor of my old Northcliffe daily had shown half the backbone you are showing over the past few years with enforced redundancies and the consequent decline in the paper's quality. The industry needs you, and thank you for fighting on behalf of countless regional and local journalists against the actions of clueless, amoral senior management who are driving the industry into the ground. Bravo Jim Oldfield. I wish the editor of my old Northcliffe daily had shown half the backbone you are showing over the past few years with enforced redundancies and the consequent decline in the paper’s quality. The industry needs you, and thank you for fighting on behalf of countless regional and local journalists against the actions of clueless, amoral senior management who are driving the industry into the ground.

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]]> By: stewart perkins http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2011/news/editor-receives-notice-of-redundancy/#comment-13565 stewart perkins Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:08:16 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1614640#comment-13565 Jim Oldfield is a local hero. I feel it might make a film, if only they could get someone to play the villains. Tricky call........ Jim Oldfield is a local hero. I feel it might make a film, if only they could get someone to play the villains. Tricky call……..

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]]> By: voice of reason http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2011/news/editor-receives-notice-of-redundancy/#comment-13551 voice of reason Fri, 12 Aug 2011 11:59:56 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1614640#comment-13551 This guy is a hero. Sadly, he will almost certainly not be listened to and his point will be forgotten in a few weeks time. One day, however, someone will stand up to these greedy bastards and it will actually mark a turning point. Bring it on! This guy is a hero. Sadly, he will almost certainly not be listened to and his point will be forgotten in a few weeks time. One day, however, someone will stand up to these greedy bastards and it will actually mark a turning point. Bring it on!

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]]> By: Observer http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2011/news/editor-receives-notice-of-redundancy/#comment-13546 Observer Fri, 12 Aug 2011 11:23:33 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1614640#comment-13546 Freddie Johnston would surely be ashamed of the way managers treat editors and journalists nowadays? Apparently, his son Michael and similar factory managers have not inherited his father's respect for local communities and local staff. The wages in the newspaper industry are so poor that they will beget a poor level of staff and content. The signs are already there. Freddie Johnston would surely be ashamed of the way managers treat editors and journalists nowadays?
Apparently, his son Michael and similar factory managers have not inherited his father’s respect for local communities and local staff.
The wages in the newspaper industry are so poor that they will beget a poor level of staff and content. The signs are already there.

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]]> By: Lee http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2011/news/editor-receives-notice-of-redundancy/#comment-13543 Lee Fri, 12 Aug 2011 10:50:04 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1614640#comment-13543 I applied for the vacant editor's position at the SYT with Jim back in 2006 having been the deputy editor there for around a year. Neither of us were considered good enough for the job at the time and I continued to put the paper together as deputy editor, working under the editor-in-chief who was based in Doncaster. I resigned shortly after when JP's obsession with the edit-ad ratio resulted in the SYT going from around 15 news pages in 2005 to 7 in a particularly bad week a year later. I complained to the editor-in-chief when we received that week's flatplan that it was just not right to put out such a publication and expect people to pay for it. The response I received from that we had to "take the pain". A day or so later myself and the reporters fielded calls from people saying they would never buy the title again. Seemingly the title was in freefall for some time after this until JP saw sense and appointed Jim to steady the ship and halt the decline. This latest decision is the reward for his efforts. I hope Jim has success in his efforts to get JP to see sense. If John Fry has any business sense at all he should get Jim and the rest of the strikers up to to Edinburgh asap and ask them for their ideas on how to get JP out of the mess they are in. I applied for the vacant editor’s position at the SYT with Jim back in 2006 having been the deputy editor there for around a year.

Neither of us were considered good enough for the job at the time and I continued to put the paper together as deputy editor, working under the editor-in-chief who was based in Doncaster.

I resigned shortly after when JP’s obsession with the edit-ad ratio resulted in the SYT going from around 15 news pages in 2005 to 7 in a particularly bad week a year later.

I complained to the editor-in-chief when we received that week’s flatplan that it was just not right to put out such a publication and expect people to pay for it. The response I received from that we had to “take the pain”.

A day or so later myself and the reporters fielded calls from people saying they would never buy the title again.

Seemingly the title was in freefall for some time after this until JP saw sense and appointed Jim to steady the ship and halt the decline. This latest decision is the reward for his efforts.

I hope Jim has success in his efforts to get JP to see sense. If John Fry has any business sense at all he should get Jim and the rest of the strikers up to to Edinburgh asap and ask them for their ideas on how to get JP out of the mess they are in.

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]]> By: KellyC http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2011/news/editor-receives-notice-of-redundancy/#comment-13541 KellyC Fri, 12 Aug 2011 10:44:02 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1614640#comment-13541 Jim, you are a hero. If the local newspaper industry continues to lose people like you then there will be no local newspaper industry left. Your dedication is an inspiration to young (and old) reporters. Keep the faith. Jim, you are a hero. If the local newspaper industry continues to lose people like you then there will be no local newspaper industry left. Your dedication is an inspiration to young (and old) reporters. Keep the faith.

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]]> By: Mad Hatter http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2011/news/editor-receives-notice-of-redundancy/#comment-13540 Mad Hatter Fri, 12 Aug 2011 10:34:49 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1614640#comment-13540 Alice are you in wonderland? thousands aren't. Alice

are you in wonderland? thousands aren’t.

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]]> By: Heart of all things Frugal http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2011/news/editor-receives-notice-of-redundancy/#comment-13538 Heart of all things Frugal Fri, 12 Aug 2011 10:21:45 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1614640#comment-13538 Go Jim!! Go Jim!!

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]]> By: samtheman http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2011/news/editor-receives-notice-of-redundancy/#comment-13535 samtheman Fri, 12 Aug 2011 10:17:44 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1614640#comment-13535 Well done Jim...keep your stance firm against the JP bully boy management. They haven't the first clue about local newspapers and have decimated the industry....keep fighting and justice will be done. Well done Jim…keep your stance firm against the JP bully boy management. They haven’t the first clue about local newspapers and have decimated the industry….keep fighting and justice will be done.

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]]> By: Harold http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2011/news/editor-receives-notice-of-redundancy/#comment-13528 Harold Fri, 12 Aug 2011 09:17:56 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1614640#comment-13528 Shocking practice from a shocking company. You'd just love to see all of JP go belly up, apart from the fact innocent people will be hit by it. Solidarity, bros Shocking practice from a shocking company. You’d just love to see all of JP go belly up, apart from the fact innocent people will be hit by it. Solidarity, bros

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]]> By: Jim Oldfield http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2011/news/editor-receives-notice-of-redundancy/#comment-13524 Jim Oldfield Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:48:33 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1614640#comment-13524 Everything you say is bang on Robin, and I would be delighted if, via the union, you would make contact with me. I did not start this to lose -and I don't intend to stop until the practices of ALL the Big Five proprietors over at least the past decade are exposed, and this festering sore drained once and for all. Your own input will prove invaluable. Jim Everything you say is bang on Robin, and I would be delighted if, via the union, you would make contact with me. I did not start this to lose -and I don’t intend to stop until the practices of ALL the Big Five proprietors over at least the past decade are exposed, and this festering sore drained once and for all.
Your own input will prove invaluable.
Jim

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]]> By: Robin Young http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2011/news/editor-receives-notice-of-redundancy/#comment-13523 Robin Young Thu, 11 Aug 2011 12:58:35 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1614640#comment-13523 Until July 29 I, too, was a Johnston Press editor, responsible for two weeklies in South-West Scotland. I handed in my notice three months ago, ready to do anything rather than continue under a system that was neither safe nor sustainable. An active NUJ member for four decades, I admire Jim's courageous campaign on pay and staffing issues. My salary, after 42 years in journalism, was a princely £27,000 for putting in more unpaid hours than could ever be calculated just to make sure that our understaffed and continually deteriorating newspapers hit the streets. As with many other editors, I found salaries under the regime were an exercise in time travel - appreciably less than we had been earning under previous (and sadly often much-maligned) employers many years before. The morally bankrupt asset-stripping policies pursued by senior management throughout the company have put hundreds, if not thousands, out of work. Towns across the British Isles no longer have a weekly paper office at their centre. If Johnston Press can't invest in its greatest asset - the workforce - then it's time to accept the inevitable and sell to others who will. In the meantime, don't give up the fight Jim - there are more people backing you out there than you might think! Until July 29 I, too, was a Johnston Press editor, responsible for two weeklies in South-West Scotland. I handed in my notice three months ago, ready to do anything rather than continue under a system that was neither safe nor sustainable. An active NUJ member for four decades, I admire Jim’s courageous campaign on pay and staffing issues. My salary, after 42 years in journalism, was a princely £27,000 for putting in more unpaid hours than could ever be calculated just to make sure that our understaffed and continually deteriorating newspapers hit the streets. As with many other editors, I found salaries under the regime were an exercise in time travel – appreciably less than we had been earning under previous (and sadly often much-maligned) employers many years before. The morally bankrupt asset-stripping policies pursued by senior management throughout the company have put hundreds, if not thousands, out of work. Towns across the British Isles no longer have a weekly paper office at their centre. If Johnston Press can’t invest in its greatest asset – the workforce – then it’s time to accept the inevitable and sell to others who will. In the meantime, don’t give up the fight Jim – there are more people backing you out there than you might think!

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]]> By: ivan http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2011/news/editor-receives-notice-of-redundancy/#comment-13522 ivan Thu, 11 Aug 2011 12:53:37 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1614640#comment-13522 I know nothing of Mr Oldfields prowess as editor except to note the support he, and the strike, appears to have in the local community. A publisher that has as its main focus the production of quality local news titles, both in print and on line, is likely to engage support from that community. An approach of 'no comment' and an overarching corporate response to local issues is likely to alienate said publisher from its community. Independent, often micro, publishers continue to thrive across the land when passion mixed with a genuine intent to provide worthwhile material to readers is employed. From what I've seen, you've started already Mr Oldfield with your bootleg papers; take this opportunity to start something new. You might just be surprised.... I know nothing of Mr Oldfields prowess as editor except to note the support he, and the strike, appears to have in the local community.
A publisher that has as its main focus the production of quality local news titles, both in print and on line, is likely to engage support from that community.
An approach of ‘no comment’ and an overarching corporate response to local issues is likely to alienate said publisher from its community.
Independent, often micro, publishers continue to thrive across the land when passion mixed with a genuine intent to provide worthwhile material to readers is employed.
From what I’ve seen, you’ve started already Mr Oldfield with your bootleg papers; take this opportunity to start something new. You might just be surprised….

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]]> By: Jim Oldfield http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2011/news/editor-receives-notice-of-redundancy/#comment-13521 Jim Oldfield Thu, 11 Aug 2011 12:33:01 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1614640#comment-13521 Statutory redundancy on 25k is not attractive and in fact barely reflects the sky above... and they were told form the outset that I will sign no gagging clauses. This is not over. Statutory redundancy on 25k is not attractive and in fact barely reflects the sky above… and they were told form the outset that I will sign no gagging clauses.
This is not over.

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]]> By: Sunny side up http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2011/news/editor-receives-notice-of-redundancy/#comment-13518 Sunny side up Thu, 11 Aug 2011 12:01:25 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1614640#comment-13518 I remember when Jim first arrived at South Yorkshire Newspapers and took the helm as editor of Johnston's (at the time) newest money-spinners- the community newsletters - I was struck by his passion for digging out cracking stories for what were, let's face it, small, monthly free sheets. He turned the newsletters into much more than they really would have been without him. It strikes me that JP has probably shot itself in the foot getting rid of Jim - who offered the firm good value for money. I just hope the package they pay him is attractive and reflects the dedication he gave to the company. I remember when Jim first arrived at South Yorkshire Newspapers and took the helm as editor of Johnston’s (at the time) newest money-spinners- the community newsletters – I was struck by his passion for digging out cracking stories for what were, let’s face it, small, monthly free sheets.
He turned the newsletters into much more than they really would have been without him. It strikes me that JP has probably shot itself in the foot getting rid of Jim – who offered the firm good value for money.
I just hope the package they pay him is attractive and reflects the dedication he gave to the company.

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