Reporters have been left “gutted” after Archant decided to push ahead with its plans to close two district offices.

Last week we reported how the local community was rallying behind the Exmouth Journal and Sidmouth Herald in a bid to keep both centres open.

Since then Archant South West has told staff that, despite their alternative solutions for keeping the offices open, reporters will have to move to the company’s base at Exeter Airport.

As a result of the move, one part-time reporter and five receptionists have been made redundant. One member of staff said: “We are gutted.”

In an e-mail to staff, MD Bernard Driscoll said: “We did consider all your suggestions about alternatives, including staying at Sidmouth without any reception staff, and perhaps finding a room in Exmouth.

“I also looked again at options for saving money elsewhere but to achieve the amounts needed would involve more staff redundancies – and we don’t have any staff we can do without – or further reducing our free distribution numbers, which would put us at a serious disadvantage against our competitors.

“The outcome is that, very regrettably, we will have to close the offices and relocate you. I accept that this a retrograde move and I wish there was an alternative.

“The positive side of this is that…..we still have you – a talented group of journalists able to produce first rate local newspapers that are well-respected and well read within their communities.

“The response I have had from local people since the news got out has been a testament to that.

“I also appreciate the strength of feeling that has been evident from you. I admire your efforts in trying to find alternative solutions.”

He added that the Journal and Herald editors would be looking look into utilising some local goodwill to secure the occasional use of rooms in Sidmouth and Exmouth for when reporters were out on patch or on deadlines.

An Archant spokesman said the company had nothing further to add to the story.

Comments

Robin Jones (22/12/2008 11:30:27)
Yet another statement that the local newspaper industry is all but dead. As a former district office reporter, I know only too well that you cannot provide more than a basic service by remote control.
Sidmouth is a fairly affluent area and even now should be able to support sufficient advertising to maintain a presence in the town, even if it ia just a reporter working from home.
Maybe its time that the NUJ, instead of whining about fat cat directors and big bonuses, highlighted ways in which journalists can realistically retrain for other jobs, and warned would-be entrants away from the industry.
Why are universities still offering the volume of media degrees that they do, when there clearly are not enough jobs for graduates and most of those pay less than working in a burger bar?

John (22/12/2008 12:01:02)
Here here.

Jeez.. (22/12/2008 13:17:11)
Or even Hear! Hear!

Caz (22/12/2008 18:30:58)
Yet another nail in the local newspaper industry coffin. The Government seem to be able to help and bail out the banks. What about the newspaper industry?

Robin Jones (23/12/2008 01:26:25)
Maybe something to do with the fact that most governments welcome less questions being asked, especially this one.

Old Hack (31/12/2008 08:35:50)
“I accept that this a retrograde move and I wish there was an alternative.”
How about chopping out the deadwood higher up in the organisation? That’s an alternative.
Trouble with oversized organisations like these is that they forget their history. When it shut down its district front offices in Norfolk, Archant (or Eastern Counties Newspapers as it was before it got too big for its boots) was told by a humble receptionist that it would reopen them when it discovered what a shortsighted mistake it had made. She was proved right within two years.
Whatever goodwill there is towards the paper will die out pretty quickly when it loses its high street presence. But then executives in far away ivory towers rarely see that.