news


Reach closes newsrooms in radical homeworking move


REACH, the publisher of the Mirror, Express and Star and more than 100 regional news titles, is closing most of its newsrooms and moving most staff permanently to largely home working. Only about a quarter of its employees will be required to work exclusively in the office even when the pandemic has receded. The move follows a


survey of Reach staff which found that 82 per cent thought they did not need to be physically with colleagues to carry out their work. Reach said there would be no redundancies in the shake-up and that homeworking would reduce costs and help protect the future of its publications. Chris Morley, the NUJ’s Reach coordinator,


said: “There have been some advantages for companies and many employees in terms of better use of time, quicker communications and reshaping of work-life balance. For others,


there have been real difficulties that require help and support – so listening to individuals and their circumstances will be important. “We should also not lose sight of the important symbol that the physical presence of media companies has for local communities – something recognised by the NUJ’s news recovery plan.” Reach intends to operate 15


‘hubs’, where some staff – mainly in production – will work and others can hold meetings. These will be in Belfast, Bristol, Birmingham, Dublin, Cardiff,


Glasgow, Hull, Leeds, Liverpool, London,


Oldham, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth and another location in the south east. Mark Johnson, Reach NUJ group chapel


chair, said: “This is a massive project and our members will have lots to consider and say about the proposals. A one size fits all solution probably wouldn’t be the best way and we appreciate that the company is stressing it will listen carefully to individual circumstances.”


NI Assembly seeks press input


THE NORTHERN Ireland Assembly’s All-Party Group on Press Freedom and Media Sustainability has invited industry stakeholders to submit evidence on the impact of the pandemic and


their views on the long-term sustainability of media organisations. The NUJ has been involved


in establishing this new group and is encouraging NUJ members who live and work


in Northern Ireland to respond to the consultation. Media workers and outlets


across the industry are encouraged to submit written evidence about their experiences and views on the


long-term viability of the local media and how the government can help. The call for evidence will help to inform a recovery plan that will aim to ensure local media outlets survive not just beyond the coronavirus crisis but also far into the future.


“


Union condemns Bloody Sunday reporting ban


THE NUJ has condemned a decision to ban the media from reporting the opening statements and all witness statements in the case of Soldier F in the Bloody Sunday murder inquiry. Soldier F is the only ex-British army paratrooper facing murder


charges arising from the killings of 13 civilians in the Bogside area of Londonderry on January 30 1972. At a preliminary hearing, as well as confirming that the


anonymity put in place last year would continue, District Judge Ted Magill banned the reporting. He said that it was a question of law.


Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, said the ruling


went against the principle of open justice and the need for the criminal justice system to operate in public and be subject to public scrutiny.


There have been advantages for companies and many employees. For others, there have been real difficulties


Chris Morley NUJ’s Reach coordinator


inbrief...


TELEGRAPH PLANS TO LINK CLICKS WITH PAY The Daily Telegraph wants to link some elements of journalists’ pay to the popularity of their work. An email to staff from editor Chris Evans said that the paper wanted to use a system that graded reports and features by factors such as how many subscriptions they drive and how many clicks they get to link performance to reward.


SHEFFIELD STAR WINS ON DIVERSITY The Sheffield Star won top place in the Diversity and Inclusion category at the NCTJ Awards for Excellence after making ‘huge strides in working towards a diverse workforce’ over the past year, which enabled the paper ‘to reach communities which have not previously engaged with local journalists’.


ALDRIDGE TAKES ON SUNDAY EDITOR ROLE Mirror deputy editor Gemma Aldridge has been appointed editor of the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People. She succeeds Paul Henderson, who left in December as part of a restructuring. Aldridge remains deputy editor of the Mirror alongside Tom Carlin and Paul Cockerton.


DMGT buys


New Scientist magazine Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT),


publisher of the Daily Mail, has acquired New Scientist magazine in a £70 million deal. It is thought that DMGT, which also


owns the i and Metro, has guaranteed the 65-year-old title’s editorial independence and has ruled out job cuts and the sharing of editorial content. The publisher said


the acquisition was part of its strategy to boost its revenue through greater


subscriptions and digital capabilities. New Scientist employs about 80 staff, including 40 journalists.


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