Job cuts are set to be made at a series of newspapers recently bought by Newsquest – but the company says it plans to invest in more reporters at the same titles.
CN Group staff have been invited to apply for voluntary redundancy by the regional publisher, which says the scheme is part of a move to put the affected papers on a “more sustainable footing”.
Editorial staff with more than two years’ service have been invited to apply along with other departments, but it is “highly unlikely” anyone in a reporting role will have their application accepted.
Newsquest says it intends to upgrade the Carlisle-based CN’s technology infrastructure and primary systems in editorial, advertising, finance and newspaper sales – adding it also plans to invest in reporting and sales roles.
The CN Group’s printing press, in Carlisle
Jonathan Lee, managing director at CN Group, said: “These investments in our systems will make our business more efficient and streamline the way we work. They will allow us to collaborate more effectively with our new colleagues elsewhere in Newsquest and offer much greater resilience.
“As a result of the more efficient workflows, we expect that we will require fewer staff overall so I am inviting any current CN Group employees with more than two years’ service to consider volunteering for redundancy.
“I must point out that is it highly unlikely that we would accept voluntary redundancy from anyone in a reporting role in editorial or a sales role in advertising. This is because we plan to invest in these areas of the business rather than seek to reduce resources there.”
The company has declined to provide an estimate as to how many roles it is aiming to cut through scheme, and HTFP understands there is no specific target.
In the past six months VR schemes have also been launched at the Isle of Wight County Press and NWN Media, which were both purchased by Newsquest in 2017.
Last month, following the completion of its takeover of the CN Group, Newsquest announced plans to close the company’s Carlisle printing press, putting 34 jobs at risk.
Titles published by CN include Barrow-based daily The Mail and the Carlisle News & Star, as well as weeklies the Cumberland News, Hexham Courant, Workington Times & Star, Whitehaven News and the Advertiser, which serves southern Cumbria.
A Newsquest spokesman said: “These investments support our efforts to put the CN Group business on a more sustainable footing and improve the company’s workflows.
“It is likely that the systems will create efficiencies and therefore we believe it makes sense to offer staff the option of voluntary redundancy today, helping us to plan for the future.”
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instead of letting staff apply for VR who are then unlikely to be allowed to leave, wouldn’t it be more open to offer this way out to staff or departments they clearly want rid of to save time effort and worry to those likely to be affected?
HFWs “more sustainable footing” means cost savings via a reduction in FTEs, centralisation and job cuts either now or future down the line so anyone offered the VR option would be foolish not to take it.
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Sounds to me that they want to get rid of the older, experienced – and more expensive – subs and editors. Perhaps a bit of redundo cash might help some of them leave on their own terms rather than waiting for the inevitable NQ grim reaper.
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So that’ll be photographers then?
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Electric Pics
Are there any left? In my experience all the good experienced older staff across all departments have already gone leaving just a few hangers on who have little or no prospects of finding work elsewhere so are unlikely to challenge poor decisions and are easy to manage, this appears to be the criteria and the key factor in deciding who stays or goes when headcounts need to be reduced.
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Judging by the most recent ABC sales figures, Newsquest’s “investment” in the titles it has owned for many years has not been a roaring success.
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Lest surprising headline of the year. Still, at least the good people of Cumbria will soon get to voice their online opinions on what’s nicer, the Whopper or the Big Mac.
To paraphrase Bruce Willis in Die Hard: “Welcome to the party!”
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The newspaper industry is in a total mess. It disentangle have to be but the ‘new management’ are fixated on hypothetical mega money saving. They see digital as a godsend as they can save on print and transport costs. However they have completely mis-read the reality of the situation. They can give away all the news they like for free on the net but if advertisers don’t sign up (which they haven’t) then it’s a waste of time. Also making photographers redundant in favour of UGC pics from smartphones is pure and simple madness. Yet these idiots continue to flog the dead digital horse and make staff redundant. Putting all their eggs in one basket and counting their chickens long before they have hatched… Even before the eggs have been laid. They are taking an established industry down the pan but are too arrogant to admit it and are prepared to brazen it out till they can get another ‘old boy’s network’ job.
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NQ paper circulations are sliding and forced job cuts will accelerate that as quality worsens till the pips squeak and rivets snap. I notice the Isle of Wight paper’s figures have slid more now.
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OK, let’s all stop being naïve about editorial investment.
It is standard Newsquest policy when they take over titles to make redundancies in areas where they already have central systems in place, such as HR, planning, accounts, printing presses, ad production, features etc.
But even Newsquest wants to keep one eye on its own PR image and offset the usual community moans and so it counters this by saying we are investing in journalism, we recognise the vital role our titles play in the community, importance of local news etc etc.
It can temporarily afford to invest, it has just shaved vast sums off the total payroll.
But past experience shows such “investments” is short term at best. After a short period the cost savings are gone from the budget, circulations and revenue continue to decline and cutting further costs is the only way hit the profit target. And where is the biggest remaining cost base? Editorial?
That’s the way of the world and the declining newspaper industry.
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I am fed up with management saying they have got to make “savings” without at the same time saying how they are going to invest in a company.
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Wordsmith – the story states that they intend to invest in reporters and sales staff. That sounds to me like something that should be encouraged.
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@Disgruntled Toggy So that’ll be photographers then?
To quote Richard Burton from the film The Longest Day “The thing that’s always worried me about being one of the Few is the way we keep on getting fewer.”
I can relate to that….
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investing in journalists. That will be some of the experienced hacks already lost to industry then? Of course not. The cheaper green and keen youngsters will get the jobs.
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