A round of voluntary redundancies at a Scottish newspaper group has seen more editorial staff depart, including a veteran reporter and a photographer.
As reported previously on HoldtheFrontPage, around a dozen jobs were at risk at the Glasgow-based Herald & Times group as part of parent company Newsquest’s continued drive to relocate subbing operation to Newport, South Wales.
A voluntary redundancy scheme was also opened up to all 160 staff at the group’s titles – which include Glasgow dailies The Herald and Evening Times and Sunday stablemate the Sunday Herald.
Among those to have taken voluntary redundancy are Gordon Thomson, a general reporter at the Evening Times for the past 25 years who also served as FoC at the group’s NUJ chapel.
Christian Cookesy, who held a dual picture desk and photographer role, has also left to set up his own business.
A biography on Christian’s website describes him as “one of the most sought after photographers working in Scotland”.
The departures came in the same week the group announced its new pro-independence daily title The National would be given a permanent print-run.
At the time the changes were announced in October, the company stated “all editing and content decisions will continue to be taken in Scotland as will control of the multi-million-pound editorial budget”.
Last month the National Union of Journalists claimed the number of jobs lost across the country as a result of Newsquest’s continued transfer of subbing operations to Newport had reached 120.
So, a nationalist paper for Scotland is launched – but is probably subbed in Wales. Utter madness.
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That close? Wow…
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I can confirm that The National is not being subbed in Wales. Also – what does a photographer being made redundant have to do with the Glasgow titles being subbed in Newport?
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We have lost our best ever FoC in Tommo for sure even though he could be an awki sod at times
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*awkward
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What a joke can’t wait to see the quality of the newspaper
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