As reported by the National Union of Journalists: Design and production of the company’s newspapers will be separated from the content creation function with a centralised production unit in Norwich responsible for all print titles.
Archant publishes 50 weekly newspapers the south of England and four East Anglian dailies: the Eastern Daily Press, Ipswich Star, East Anglian Daily Times and the Norwich Evening News.
Andy Smith, NUJ national executive member, said: “We are extremely concerned by the news of the proposed job losses at Archant.
"The union has yet to meet Archant management formally to discuss the proposals, but the there is little in the reported statements from Jeff Henry, chief executive, or Matt Kelly, chief content officer,to indicate how moving to an ‘audience first’ approach can justify the loss of at least 17 jobs.
"Putting 57 staff at risk of redundancy, particularly at this time of year, will be incredibly stressful for them all, and our first responsibility is to support our members through this process. Though the consultation is at a very early stage, it is difficult to see how these proposals can have any other effect than to impose more work and more stress on an already overburdened staff still coming to terms with the effects of the photographer redundancies made earlier this year.”
Quoted in the Press Gazette, Matt Kelly said: “Editing the newspaper will be done with a very light touch from title editors – I do not want editors spending hours deciding between the page 9 and page 15 leads, or coping with the perennial last minute need for dozens of fillers to complete news pages.” He said the new “content rooms” will be “less hierarchical” under the proposed changes.
The NUJ has also reported that Bradford’s Telegraph & Argus is to lose a sixth of its newsroom:
The Bradford Telegraph and Argus has put five editorial posts at risk of redundancy, in Newsquest's latest cull of journalist jobs.
Under proposals announced by the newspaper's editor Perry Austin-Clarke, two sports writers will have to vie for one role, the business reporter’s job will go, while the crime and court reporters are taking voluntary redundancy and the vacant role of the Aire Valley reporter will not be replaced.
These proposed changes, which are expected to take place by November 25, will result in the editorial department losing one sixth of its workforce.
A Bradford Newsquest chapel spokesperson said: “It’s grim for our colleagues facing redundancy but also bleak for those left behind who will have to pick up an ever-increasing workload to get other people’s jobs done. More is being expected of less. Management has exploited the stoical work ethic of its newsroom for far too long without offering reward or recognition, but the pot of goodwill is running almost as low as the staffing level."
Chris Morley, Northern & Midlands organiser, said: “In the week that Newsquest’s American bosses announced they were ordering a 2 per cent reduction of staff across Gannett’s operations, we have confirmation that jobs are going at a key UK daily.
"Five jobs may not sound a lot, but it is in the context of such a low number in the Braford newsroom. Even the loss of a handful will have a huge impact on those remaining and their ability to produce quality journalism.
"It is clear that the new incarnation of Gannett, following its demerger this year, cannot see beyond a strategy of cut and then cut again. What is needed instead is a dynamic programme of investment to breathe fresh life into titles that have an incredibly important role to play in their local communities.”
Following a motion passed by the London Assembly which voiced concerns over the staff cuts on Newsquest’s titles in south London and asked the mayor to intervene in the dispute which led to a ten-day strike, Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, has written to Sadiq Khan saying the union is happy to take part in talks brokered by his office.
