news
London newspapers hit by 12-day strike
N
ewsquest newspapers in London were hit by a 12-day strike in a
dispute over job cuts, staffing levels and pay. The strike, which was
scheduled to end at the beginning of July, is to be followed by a work to rule. The action is in response to
company plans to restructure and cut staff in the region. A spokesman for the chapel
said: “We care about our readers and the communities we serve. Further cuts to staff will have an effect on the quality of the newspapers we produce and will add to the already-low morale among poorly-paid staff.” Staffs are particularly
aggrieved because Gannett, the American parent company, is able to pay its CEO, Gracia Martore (pictured), in excess of £7.5 million but is reluctant to award its staff here in the UK
even a modest pay increase. The titles affected by the cuts include: The Croydon Guardian, Sutton Guardian, Epsom Guardian, Wimbledon Guardian, Wandsworth Guardian, Balham and Tooting Guardian, Mitcham and Morden Guardian, Kingston Guardian, Surrey Comet, Elmbridge Comet, and the Richmond & Twickenham Times. The News Shopper series serves Dartford, Lewisham, Greenwich, Gravesend, Bexley and Bromley. The company plans to
merge the South West London and South East London editorial departments and ask South East London reporters to work remotely. The plans also include job cuts and redundancies will impact on a range of posts including group editor, editor, deputy editor, assistant editor, news editor, editorial assistants, online commercial content developer, deputy news editor, assistant news editor, chief reporters and senior sports roles. NUJ members on York
Newsquest titles have also voted for industrial action over jobs and workloads. The union has written
to John Whittingdale, the culture secretary, outlining the cuts hitting local papers. Newsquest is one of the
largest regional publishers with more than 200 newspapers and magazines including 17 dailies.
MPs warn against Trinity Mirror cuts
en Birmingham MPs have written to Simon Fox, chief executive of Trinity Mirror, to protest about 19 job cuts in Birmingham. The cuts are part of 45 job losses at the publisher with 20 losses in Scotland and six in neighbouring Coventry. Their letter said: “The admission from
T
Trinity Mirror that the Birmingham Post and Mail cannot ‘dutifully report everything which happens on our patch’ is also very alarming. What does this mean for
J
eremy Corbyn, the Labour MP for Islington North and an NUJ member, is one of four candidates
vying to become the next leader of the Labour Party. Mr Corbyn, a leftwinger who secured the necessary 35
coverage of the City Council, political affairs, the education system, criminal activity, the health service and courts?” Geoffrey Robinson, (pictured) MP
for Coventry North West and a former Paymaster General and chairman of Jaguar cars, has also written to the editor of the Coventry Telegraph. He warned: “You will have hollowed out your capacity to play the important role of a free press in a modern democracy.”
CORBYN JOINS LABOUR LEADERSHIP RACE
nominations just before the deadline last month, is a member of the NUJ parliamentary group. The other candidates are Andy Burnham, MP for Leigh and the shadow health secretary; Yvette
Cooper, MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford and shadow home secretary and a former journalist at The Independent; and Liz Kendall, MP for Leicester West and a shadow health minister.
Further cuts to staff will have an effect on the quality of the newspapers we produce
in brief...
PARLIAMENTARY REPORTING RULING The union welcomed an Irish High Court ruling that there is no restraint on the media covering parliamentary proceedings arising from an injunction granted to businessman Denis O’Brien in May. Séamus Dooley, NUJ Irish secretary, said: “This is an unambiguous ruling in favour of democracy. The right of parliamentarians to speak under privilege is a cornerstone of our democracy and the right of the media to fairly and accurately report such proceedings is fundamental.”
PROFITS DIP AT THE TELEGRAPH GROUP The Telegraph Media Group saw profits for 2014 dip to £54.9 million from £61.2 million in 2013. It blamed the fall on an £8 million investment in digital operations. The Telegraph titles remain the most profitable newspapers in the UK quality/broadsheet market.
SUN CENSURED OVER ROD LIDDLE COLUMN The Sun has been censured by the Independent Press Standards Organisation over a Rod Liddle column which made fun of a blind and transgender Labour parliamentary candidate, Emily
Brothers.The Sun admitted the column was tasteless and apologised to Brothers.
COMPLAINTS RISE AT THE GUARDIAN The Guardian received 3,000 more complaints in the year to March compared with the same period a year ago. In that time the newspaper has published 1,022 corrections and the website 2,604.
MURDOCH COULD CEDE TO SON AT FOX Rupert Murdoch is reportedly preparing to stand down as chief executive of Twenty First Century Fox and hand over to his son James, the former head of BSkyB. The 84-year-old, who owns a controlling stake in Fox, will remain executive chairman of the group in a reorganisation that could take place later this year or early in 2016, according to CNBC.
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