Plans for a possible new centralised subbing hub in the Midlands have been shelved following negative feedback from staff.

Johnston Press began consulting last month with sub-editing staff at its weekly titles in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire about the possibility of creating the hub in Chesterfield, home of the Derbyshire Times, although no jobs were under threat of redundancy.

Workers have told HTFP that, due to “massive opposition” from staff, JP has now scrapped the plans, although other insiders have claimed the proposal has been put on hold due to the forthcoming introduction of a new editorial content management system.

One employee, who asked not to be named, said: “The whole process seemed to be going on for ages and we were expecting to be told who would be moving into the hub.

“But then out of the blue we were informed that it was all off and everyone would be staying where they were for the time being because of the negative feedback they’d had from staff.”

Another staffer told HTFP that the decision to scrap the Chesterfield subbing hub was because of the pending introduction of the Atex system at the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire titles.

Titles that would have been affected by the plan included the Mansfield Chad series, Hucknall Despatch, Buxton Advertiser and Ilkeston Advertiser.

JP has created several centralised subbing operations over the past year and earlier this month it revealed that three of the Midlands hubs were themselves to be centralised into one at Peterborough, costing over 40 jobs.

The company has introduced a new Atex content management system in some of its Midlands centres meaning that reporters can write copy straight onto template news pages.

As a result, there have been scores of redundancies among the company’s sub-editing staff with the new system due to be in place at every UK Johnston Press title by the end of 2010.

Johnston Press had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.

Comments

Bluestringer (23/12/2009 10:30:50)
What an extraordinary thing to happen…the suits actually LISTEN to the editorial staff.
Must be Christmas.

iShotTheSheriff (23/12/2009 13:17:03)
You people like to shoot your company down at every oppurtunity no matter what the news, no wonder its going down the pan with a workforce like yours

hub dude (23/12/2009 14:11:57)
Everyone knows that once the Atex system is in place, the hub plan will be back on the table, and with job losses. Don’t be fooled into thinking JP is actually LISTENING to its staff. Derbys and Notts subs shouldn’t breathe too big a sigh of relief – be braced for a very chilly new year.
And yes, we do like to shoot our company down – because it deserves it. You’d soon change your tune if you worked here iShotTheSheriff.

Bluestringer (23/12/2009 15:37:50)
haha!
Yes we’re really horrid people, iSTS.
Best stay away from us and carry on playing with your LOLcats, or whatever fluffy thing it is you do.