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Reach cuts UK jobs as it launches in the US
THE NUJ group chapel at the publishing group Reach has passed a motion highlighting the anger and frustration from journalists at the company, following proposed job cuts in editorial posts. It pledges that it will fight any compulsory redundancies. Journalists at the publisher
whose titles include The Mirror, Express, Irish Star, Birmingham Mail, the Manchester Evening News, Bristol Post and Liverpool Echo have expressed their dismay following a decision to cut 102 editorial roles at the company. Plans come amid
expansion in the US with the creation of operations there for the Mirror, Express and Irish Star.
The motion reads: “This group chapel is
dismayed that Reach plc is proposing to axe 102 editorial positions across the group having already shed hundreds of journalist roles over the last few months. The attack on core frontline jobs is viewed as akin to industrial vandalism. “Our members are angry and frustrated that positive
moves forward following the settlement of the pay dispute and strike last year have been overshadowed and undermined by a planned widespread cull of jobs that are essential to the success of the company’s business model. “Inexplicably, front line
roles – especially photographers and digital reporters – are being
Channel 4 rescued from sale The broadcaster had faced
MICHELLE DONELAN, who was culture secretary until the recent Cabinet reshuffle, said that Channel 4 won’t be sold. It will also be allowed to make its own content to build sustainability and help it “better compete in the age of streaming giants”.
privatisation under Nadine Dorries, who was culture secretary during Boris Johnson’s premiership. Daily Mail political editor Jason
Groves reported that a Whitehall source said the plan was driven by
targeted in the face of the company’s professed business model to build a sustainable digital operation with quality journalism and original content at its core. “The planned wipe out of
professional photography in many places within the group removes at a stroke what has been a mainstay of journalistic craft for more than a century and will surely be regretted in the years to come. “At least 22 reporter jobs and 13 photographer roles are in line to be cut, although the full extent is not yet known, along with other digital and social media based posts.” It adds: “NUJ chapels are
still assessing the potential damage to be inflicted on local operations, but members are clear that compulsory redundancies are unacceptable and will be vigorously challenged.”
Johnson’s anger at Channel 4 putting an ice sculpture in his place when he failed to appear on an election leaders’ debate about the climate crisis in 2019. Donelan said at the start of the year:
“After reviewing the business case and engaging with the relevant sectors, I have decided that Channel 4 should not be sold.”
inbrief...
REUTERS TO CREATE 100 JOBS WORLDWIDE Reuters will create 100 new editorial roles around the world under an expansion of its partnership with the London Stock Exchange Group. The new posts will focus on four main areas: financial markets; mergers and acquisitions; energy transition; and data visualisation.
FT AND TIMES TOP SUBSCRIPTION COST The Financial Times is the most expensive consumer digital news subscription in the UK or US, followed by The Times. An annual digital subscription to the FT costs £319 while it costs £312 for The Times. The next most expensive digital news subscriptions are Bloomberg at £199 per year and The Telegraph at £189.
NEW EDITOR FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES Ben Taylor is the new editor of The Sunday Times. He replaces Emma Tucker who is going to the Wall Street Journal. Taylor joined The Sunday Times in 2020 as deputy editor. He was previously executive editor of the Daily Mail, where he had worked for 22 years. Krissi Murison, editor of The Sunday Times Magazine, is the new deputy editor of the newspaper.
BBC switches on to TikTok
TIKTOK is to be one of the BBC’s main priorities for this year, the corporation has said.
In an advert for four journalists to join a new TikTok team as part of its social
news operation, the corporation said: “Growing the BBC News TikTok account to make it the biggest and best, both globally and in the UK, is one of News’ main priorities for 2023.” In January last year, two social and digital chiefs
told Press Gazette that the corporation had stayed off TikTok as they did not have the resources to create bespoke content properly – and because it was not true to the BBC’s values to produce ‘light news’. However, by March, after Russia had invaded
Ukraine, the broadcaster realised the platform offered opportunities to combat disinformation about the war.
Magazines fear postal cuts
Royal Mail dropping Saturday deliveries could cost the publishing industry “millions
of pounds in losses” to subscriptions, MPs have heard in a debate. News and current affairs magazines such as The Economist, the New
Statesman, The Spectator and Private Eye have expressed worries about the proposal, fearing
cancellation of subscriptions if the time-sensitive publications are not delivered quickly. Labour MP Kate Osborne, who worked for Royal Mail for 25 years, said an Ofcom review of users’ needs did not properly show this effect of the removal of Saturday deliveries.
theJournalist | 05
PA IMAGES / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
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