Central Independent Newspapers to cut staff
Feb 8 2009 by Anna Blackaby, Birmingham Post
Up to 20 jobs could be at risk at Central Independent Newspapers in Tamworth as it becomes the latest regional news player to make staff cutbacks.
The Northcliffe company has begun a process which means it could make more than 19 staff redundant, with jobs across all departments at Central Independent Newspapers (CIN) under threat.
Newspapers in CIN include the Tamworth Herald, the Lichfield Mercury, the Sutton Coldfield Observer and the Walsall Advertiser. A small number of jobs are set to go at The Sentinel in Stoke-On-Trent.
Last month the company announced plans to centralise subbing and design, moving operations from Tamworth-based CIN to the Staffordshire Sentinel News and Media building in Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent, headquarters of The Sentinel.
Staffordshire Sentinel News & Media editor-in-chief Mike Sassi said: “Northcliffe Media Ltd will begin consulting staff over a plan to remodel its businesses in Staffordshire. At this stage, no firm decisions have been made.
“It is proposed production of the newspapers and magazines published by Central Independent Newspapers at Tamworth will be switched to the Staffordshire Sentinel News and Media building in Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent. This is part of a proposal to reorganize editorial departments within CIN.
“The proposals will further cement the position of The Sentinel, The Post and Times and CIN as the premier providers of local news and information in Staffordshire and South Cheshire.”
The restructuring comes after a torrid few months for local newspapers, with hundreds of regional journalism jobs axed up and down the country.
In October another Midland newspaper group, Midland News Association, announced it was looking to cut 120 staff as it merged its two main businesses Express & Star Ltd and the Telford-based Shropshire Newspapers.
The Birmingham Post owner BPM Media (Midlands) cut 65 editorial jobs across operations in the Midlands which include the Birmingham Post, Birmingham Mail and The Sunday Mercury in summer.
Regional broadcast news has been hit with ITV Central cutting 61 of 134 Midlands staff last year as part of plans to merge Central East and West regions.
NUJ northern regional organiser Chris Morley said: “The fact is there will still be a need for newspapers in the future. This ruthless pursuit of high profits – and newspapers are still making good profits – needs to stop.”
* Regional newspaper publisher Johnston Press could sell some of its titles in a bid to tackle its £465 million debt burden, it has been reported.
The group, which owns The Scotsman and Yorkshire Post, has appointed KPMG to lead negotiations with its banks, just weeks after new chief executive John Fry took up his post.
Johnston grew rapidly under Mr Fry’s predecessor Tim Bowdler, who made it the United Kingdom’s second-largest newspaper group. But as advertising revenues have fallen, the group‘s share price has dived from 490.5p in 2007 to 7.1p on Friday. The group said in November its net debt stood at £465 million.
KPMG is thought to be talking with three banks over refinancing debt facilities, which expire in September 2010.
The company reduced its workforce by around 12 per cent during 2008, although it said the majority of the losses were through natural turnover, rather than redundancies.
