The new boss of regional publisher Northcliffe Media is to launch a review of its portfolio of 115 local and regional titles which could see some daily titles going weekly.
Steve Auckland took on the managing director’s role with Northcliffe last week in succession to Michael Pelosi who has moved to a group-wide role within A&N Media ahead of his planned retirement at the of this year.
In a newspaper interview published this morning, former Metro boss Mr Auckland said the review will look at both the number of titles and frequency of publishing.
“If you have got stacks of titles and lots of loss-makers and lots publishing six days a week and not making money you have got to look at the portfolio,” he told MediaGuardian.
“I want a step change. It might be harsh but it gives a platform for the future. The key thing is a product portfolio review. We have to look at the number of titles and frequency of publishing.
“The problem is that it is a large portfolio … with simply not enough revenue to sustain that and you just have to look at that.”
Mr Auckland also indicated that he plans to pursue a long-term strategy for the group and has not been brought in to slash costs ahead of a possible sale.
Martin Morgan, chief executive of parent company DMGT, has previously said that it would be “open to worthwhile approaches” concerning consolidation of the regional press industry.
Mr Auckland said: “Martin Morgan said that it could have been a consolidation play but that’s not going on now as no one is in a position to consolidate.
“What [we] have decided is to change the model and see where we get, and I’m going to try to do that. If I can, it’s game on.
“There has been no conversation about ripping costs out to bump up the figures. I’ve not got a brief to carve up and sell on,” he said.
“I think regionals still have a future to play, it is a great brief to have and it’s long-term growth I’m after, not a short-term fix.”
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You have to laugh don’t you……so that is this week’s strategy then. I wonder what it will be next week.
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I think regionals still have a future to play, it is a great brief to have and it’s long-term growth I’m after, not a short-term fix. If it wasn’t so sad it would almost be funny. The first sucker who offers a few million will get NML so fast you won’t see Rothermere for dust. Thinks: How about ebay m’lord..??
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Not all that funny for those of us who work here, actually. And yet another example of the total contempt with which Northcliffe bosses treat their staff. This is the first that we, who are facing redundancy if daily titles go weekly, have heard of this. Thanks Steve
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Northcliffe does seem to have a habit of making decisions to save money, only to discover the following year that actually that wasn’t right at all. This would be funny, if it wasn’t for those who are directly impacted by the constant cuts. I know that several subs in the South West were encouraged to up sticks and move their lives, families and everything to Plymouth, only to be told 18 months later that they did not have jobs. While I do not deny that N’cliffe is a business and has to worry about profits, isn’t it about time that it was more sensitive to the people whose lives are being messed around? As a former employee of this company I can say that the methods used are just inhumane, people should be treated with more respect, after all it is not the reporters, subs, etc… who are making the decisions that are seeing this company experience some of the most serious slumps in readership. As one that has been there I can say from the heart that I am glad to be out, just wish it had been dealt with better.
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The problem with NML is that DMGT would sell it in an instant whatever this week’s speil is. I worked for NML for over 30 years and was privy to the workings of the NML Group exec mind (as I was one myself). I cannot tell you how grateful I am not to have to put up with the u-turns in policy, indecisive senior execs and self serving decisions made to enhance top pay and bonuses. At the same time what was once a fairly caring Group just a few years ago is now totally uncaring in it’s dealing with its staff at all levels. Nobody cares…they made very sure that any that did went pretty quickly.
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Bob I take your point but let’s be honest. All weekly regionals are on life support with a terminal prognosis. It may not be what people want to hear but that’s life. Printing the day before publication for a daily is almost a con. How many people know their paper is already fish and chip wrapping as they buy it? Bristol United Press had the whole 6 floors of it’s massive building 10 years ago along with it’s own press. The press hall is now demolished and all staff crowd fit on the 4th floor. That is an indication of comparative staff numbers….decimated. Its the same all over the country. DMGT has no intrest in NML….the Daily Mail, Metro, M-o-S etc are all that matters in print with digital above them. Take it from an ex-NML exec. There is no plan. Ever since “Aim Higher” (remember that?) it has been a downward spiral of short term thinking coupled with personal self interest. Damn shame isn’t it???
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Apologies…should have proof read..:) I Meant “all daily regionals” not “all weekly regionals”.
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Help! i need new glasses. Where is says “a complaint is being processed” it’s me, and it’s not a complaint, it’s a compliment. I thought it said “comment”, but my eyes are old… Can HTFP turn my “compplaint” into a comment, plpease?
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What happened to Bob’s comment??? Jeez Ed what was wrong with that?
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Yawn, yawn, yawn! Yet more embittered ex-employees with plenty to say about other people’s ideas but precious few of their own. I especially like: “Printing the day before publication for a daily is almost a con.” So that’s The Times, Guardian etc. Face facts, even in the days of same day publication, most of the news was done the day before. What about: “As a former employee of this company I can say that the methods used are just inhumane.” FFS, behave yourself! Look things are tough … we know that. But just bleating about a return to the halcyon days of 25 subs doing 10 pages (badly) will not solve the problem. Perhaps if some of the whingers had had the gumption to discuss the issues wiht management in teh past rather than sitting in the shadows moaning then we might be in a better position. By all means lament the situation, but for heaven’s sake come up with some ideas. Knowing what you don’t want to happen is just too easy.
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Fred, some of us former employees did try to discuss issues with management and put forward suggestions to increase readership/revenue and were shot down in flames. What could we possibly know, we were only journalists with decades of experience between us? There’s no guarantee that our suggestions could have changed things, but their way of doing things has hardly been a roaring sucess either. It’s not about being bitter, it’s about be frustrated because we want to help and our ideas are being stamped on.
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And one of those ideas was???? Let’s hear ’em
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That would be my business, oh sarcastic one, quite literally. A group of us are starting up a new business based on where we think local media should be heading and are not prepared to reveal our business plan to the likes of you.
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So you don’t have any ideas then. Let me guess, some kind of web based ‘media’ outlet which makes no money and would never, in a month of Sundays, ever create revenue which would allow you to employ anyone. And it will get lots of interest from … other web-based media outlets which have been similar failures all over the place. Very worthy but ultimately too insular.
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Hmmmmm….Fred…not in Room 632 at Derry St are you. It is a typical DMGT attack to ridicule other opinions internally so I must say my suspicions are roused. Personal emotional attacks and a climate of fear is why NML changes it’s mind on strategy like a yoyo. Those of us who do have knowledge of regional newspapers that is not limited to the last couple of years can remember a time (not so long ago) when there were multiple editions of evening papers. We didn’t start to print until mid morning and pages could be (and were) changed right up until the last edition at 5.00pm. In the outer edges of the area fudging machines were used to update sports results on country editions. Now we all know that this is not feasible these days. But many older readers think that when they get a Bristol Evening Post with 3 stars on it that they are getting a late edition evening paper….not one that is almost 24 hours out of date.
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5pm updates??? I’ve been in the regional daily press for 20 years and the latest we ever updated was about 2pm, and that was a long time ago. But what you fail to get is that papers were in decline THEN and the old hacks of circa 1990 were harking back to the glory days of the 70s. It’s all a big delusion. I love the line about ‘ridiculing opinions’ which is what most people on this thread are doing! Instead of bleating, let’s have some ideas that might WORK.
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20 years Andy? Well….if you had a bit more experience you would remember.
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