A family-owned media company is pushing ahead with its plans to shed 59 jobs – around 30 in editorial – and has not ruled out further changes.

The KM Group, which publishes weekly newspapers across Kent and runs ‘kmfm’ radio stations, confirmed its plans to close four offices and two radio studios which will broadcast from larger studios.

The company said it didn’t know yet when the offices would shut and some could remain open into 2009.

A consultation period has just finished with staff and those made redundant have now left the company.

A memo to staff, seen by HoldtheFrontPage, called the move a “major restructuring programme designed to make it the most effective media business in Kent”.

It said: “We have decided to go ahead with the closure of our offices in Dover, Faversham, Maidstone (kmfm), Sittingbourne, Tonbridge (kmfm) and Tunbridge Wells and to serve those local areas from our remaining offices.

“The restructuring will assist the company to deal with the upheaval affecting all media businesses and the current poor economic climate.

“Since we launched the consultation, our revenues have continued to decline along with the rest of the industry and the rate of decline shows no sign of abating.

“We need to take this action if we are not to plunge into unsustainable trading losses.

“In the current economic climate we cannot rule out further changes to our business but we believe this restructure will go a long way towards ensuring the sustainability of the company.

“We have already introduced improvements to our organisation aimed at giving local management more support in serving each local market.”

The total payroll has been reduced to around 580 people. New combined editorial production desks will operate from Larkfield, near Maidstone, and Wraik Hill in north-east Kent. They will include all the production work of group features.

A new ‘county newsdesk’ combined with the content side of group features will also operate from Medway while the group sports desk will work from the Wraik Hill office.

KM Group titles include the Medway Messenger and Kentish Gazette. In May, the company’s Bromley Extra and Bexley Extra titles closed down after four years in production.

KM Group chairman Geraldine Allinson said the decision had not been taken lightly and thanked all the staff for their hardwork, dedication and professionalism.

Comments

Little Peter (31/10/2008 13:28:25)
Local newspapers are in meltdown. These job losses are just the start.

Brummie hackette (03/11/2008 10:24:02)
Having just been through the mill with Sly Baileys axe-weilding at the Post&Mail, I sympathise with KM team. I started my career there and remember being made redundant in 1990. But as the bosses will no doubt say “this is the future”. Good luck to all concerned x

Catpain Slackbladder (03/11/2008 14:24:23)
There is a conspiracy of silence surrounding the true predicament of the local and regional newspaper industry. How bad does it have to get before people begin to openly discuss the inevitable? Paid for regional daily titles will be a thing of the past in five-1o years. Weeklies will probably hobble on, but as a shadow of their former selves.

carl oyster (04/11/2008 13:27:30)
Editorial standards in regional newspapers have been in decline for 20 years or more; but until the advertising market disappears, newspapers, such as they are or might be, will remain, just with fewer and fewer staff. Good luck to those made redundant