Ten jobs are under threat as a result of a planned restructure at a group of South West newspapers that includes merging some news and picture desk functions.
Photographic and commercial feature writing roles are among those at risk as regional publisher Northcliffe Media seeks to make a series of change.
They include a merger of some news and picture desk operations at the Plymouth-based Western Morning News and sister daily The Herald.
And the region-wide commercial editorial department is likely to be cut back following last year’s moves by the Torquay Herald Express and Exeter Express & Echo to weekly publication.
The plans were confirmed in a statement issued by Western Morning News editor Bill Martin:
He said: “As part of an ongoing review of how the news and picture operations of the Herald and the Western Morning News are run, the merger of some news and picture desk functions is now being considered.
“In a separate move, the commercial editorial department that serves all South West media group titles is being reconfigured to reflect last year’s change to weekly publication in Torquay and Exeter.
“The proposed restructure could lead to the loss of up to 10 posts across the two Plymouth-based titles.”
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And the business unfortunately spirals on down out of control!!!!
Well unless some hard line action is taken by the entire commercial and editorial staff they will soon see it ALL moved to the Sub Continent or even further afield. Soon, very soon, it will be too late to do anything except take the P45! To be honest it’s probably the “eleventh hour” already!!
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I don’t think it’s realistic to think these journalists’ jobs will go to the subcontinent – it simply isn’t a big enough operation any more to make that worthwhile. Sad day.
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Hi Patrick – no I did not mean just for the ex daily to weekly titles – I MEAN THE WHOLE LOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Northcliffe’s sponge-squeezing continues.
Given that the WMN posted some of the best regional ABCs last time round(-1%) this is another example of editorial bearing the brunt of commercial failure.
It will also see a merging of newsdesks at two papers with
completely different target audiences and editorial standards.
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A question of getting rid of more staff before both papers move to new smaller premises in the Sutton Harbour area in the first half of 2013 methinks
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Sorry Dave – this is NOT down to just commercial failure.
It’s also down to very low levels of management ability and letting accountants take over the “farm”!
Don’t forget that a large number of editors also have to take some of the backlash as a number have been managing editors too!
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I have to concur with Last one out – poor management has been endemic at Northcliffe for the past 10 years. That well-worn diatribe, ‘Lions led by donkeys’, springs easily to mind!
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Unfortunately online news is killing off the old print based business. Soon all newspapers will largely be on hand held devices. Because there is effectively zero distribution cost for this media in electronic format the old business model of charging has gone along with it to. Most news will just be syndication and written in the Phillipeans or India where labour costs are cheaper. Yes, the standards are lower but readers aren’t paying for the news and they don’t care enough to buy a physical version or one that is subscriber based.
Obviously there will always be some physical paper, free versions etc, but its not going to much relative to previous employment levels, its the same world over, the US, CA etc… all downsizing.
Most journalists are probably best advised to start writing articles for the advertisers directly, I.e. for their websites as content creation.
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Um……..anyone else wonder if the story here
http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/picture-editor-quits-to-train-dressage-horses/
was linked to this in any way.
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