Regional newspaper journalists employed by the Guardian Media Group have today taken their fight against job cuts to readers of the company's national flagship The Guardian.
The GMG journalists, backed by the NUJ, have taken out a full page ad in the form of an open letter telling Guardian readers how 39 journalists' jobs have been cut at the Manchester Evening News, 39 at GMG's 22 weeklies in Greater Manchester and 35 at GMG's Surrey and Berkshire division.
The ad says: "The Manchester Evening News is Britain's biggest regional newspaper. It uncovers and reports the news with no agenda other than to serve the public interest. Our weekly papers do the same.
"Throughout our proud history, these papers always made a profit, providing tens of millions of pounds a year to enable our loss-making sister paper, The Guardian, to survive and flourish."
The ad criticises the Scott Trust, claiming: "In rubber-stamping these cuts, the Trust has approved the decimation of a great regional newspaper in the city which was the birthplace of The Guardian."
Readers are urged to get their MPS to back Early Day Motions supporting the local press.
GMG management has claimed that the cuts are being introduced to protect the regional newspapers' future and that the MEN no longer subsidises The Guardian as it did in the past.
The Guardian has run a leader on the job cuts today.
Showing posts with label Guardian Media Group. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Guardian Media Group. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Call for authorities to back local press with ads
A call has been made for local authorities to demonstrate their commitment to local newspapers by guaranteeing to place more public notices and council adverts in the titles.
The call came at a meeting of more than sixty councillors, MPs and NUJ members from the Manchester Evening News and other Guardian Media Group weeklies who attended a Stand Up for Journalism meeting at Manchester Town Hall.
The MEN and other titles are facing almost eighty redundancies among journalists and the closure of weekly newspaper offices.
The meeting heard claims that some local newspapers were being penalised by councils such as Salford who had retaliated to what they regard as unfavourable coverage of council stories by withholding advertising from some titles.
Deputy leader of Manchester City Council Jim Battle told the audience he wants all ten local authorities to put their money where their mouth is to help save local newspapers and journalists threatened with redundancy.
Said NUJ Vice President, Peter Murray, who also spoke at the meeting on Friday, “There’s now widespread agreement that defending jobs in print, in broadcasting, or in new media is part of a fight to retain strong public services, under attack from executives who are more concerned about their balance sheets, shareholders or government targets than they are about our role as journalists to scrutinise and question those who hold public office.”
Staff on the GMG titles in Manchester are being balloted over taking industrial action in response to the job cuts.
The call came at a meeting of more than sixty councillors, MPs and NUJ members from the Manchester Evening News and other Guardian Media Group weeklies who attended a Stand Up for Journalism meeting at Manchester Town Hall.
The MEN and other titles are facing almost eighty redundancies among journalists and the closure of weekly newspaper offices.
The meeting heard claims that some local newspapers were being penalised by councils such as Salford who had retaliated to what they regard as unfavourable coverage of council stories by withholding advertising from some titles.
Deputy leader of Manchester City Council Jim Battle told the audience he wants all ten local authorities to put their money where their mouth is to help save local newspapers and journalists threatened with redundancy.
Said NUJ Vice President, Peter Murray, who also spoke at the meeting on Friday, “There’s now widespread agreement that defending jobs in print, in broadcasting, or in new media is part of a fight to retain strong public services, under attack from executives who are more concerned about their balance sheets, shareholders or government targets than they are about our role as journalists to scrutinise and question those who hold public office.”
Staff on the GMG titles in Manchester are being balloted over taking industrial action in response to the job cuts.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Manchester weeklies 'no confidence' in Scott Trust over Guardian's job cuts plan
Journalists working for weekly papers in Greater Manchester owned by the Guardian Media Group have declared a vote of no confidence in the Scott Trust over GMG's decision to impose job cuts and close the offices of all the weekly titles in the region.
Members of the NUJ chapel, which represents six weekly titles in the south of Greater Manchester, unanimously passed the motion after the company announced 78 redundancies across GMG's weekly titles and sister paper the Manchester Evening News.
The chapel has now written to the Scott Trust's chair of trustees, Dame Liz Forgan, to inform her of the vote of no confidence.
The letter, written on behalf of the chapel by MoC Bethan Dorsett, said: "Our members deplore the decision to make these sweeping job cuts, particularly the compulsory editorial redundancies - a first for MEN Media - which will affect around a third of the journalists working in the weeklies.
"We also condemn the decision to remove all local newspapers from their "patches", which will not only have a devastating effect both on readership, and therefore profits, but also on the remaining staff, who face a complete overhaul of their terms and conditions without the benefit of additional pay.
"We believe this short-sighted decision will effectively obliterate the existence of popular titles, from the Rochdale Observer in the north to the Stockport Express in the south, in all but name.
"The chapel has passed this vote of no confidence in the Scott Trust as we feel these profit-driven decisions threaten the future of quality, independent journalism in the north-west.
"As CP Scott said in his centenary lecture, which laid the foundation of the Trust's values, a newspaper is 'much more than a business' as it reflects the influences and life of a whole community'."
Members of the NUJ chapel, which represents six weekly titles in the south of Greater Manchester, unanimously passed the motion after the company announced 78 redundancies across GMG's weekly titles and sister paper the Manchester Evening News.
The chapel has now written to the Scott Trust's chair of trustees, Dame Liz Forgan, to inform her of the vote of no confidence.
The letter, written on behalf of the chapel by MoC Bethan Dorsett, said: "Our members deplore the decision to make these sweeping job cuts, particularly the compulsory editorial redundancies - a first for MEN Media - which will affect around a third of the journalists working in the weeklies.
"We also condemn the decision to remove all local newspapers from their "patches", which will not only have a devastating effect both on readership, and therefore profits, but also on the remaining staff, who face a complete overhaul of their terms and conditions without the benefit of additional pay.
"We believe this short-sighted decision will effectively obliterate the existence of popular titles, from the Rochdale Observer in the north to the Stockport Express in the south, in all but name.
"The chapel has passed this vote of no confidence in the Scott Trust as we feel these profit-driven decisions threaten the future of quality, independent journalism in the north-west.
"As CP Scott said in his centenary lecture, which laid the foundation of the Trust's values, a newspaper is 'much more than a business' as it reflects the influences and life of a whole community'."
Archant cuts redundancies after public outcry as row brews over GMG job losses
This is interesting. MediaGuardian reports today that regional newspaper publisher Archant is set to reduce the number of editorial redundancies it is seeking at its Norfolk operation by 20 after a public outcry over the planned cuts.
MediaGuardian says it understands that staff were told in meetings today that the number of editorial jobs to be cut had fallen from 54 to 34 following a public campaign to support quality journalism in the region.
Meanwhile, HoldtheFrontPage reports that a political row is brewing with MPs in the North West urging the Guardian Media Group to rethink its plans to cut jobs at MEN Media, which would see 78 journalists being made redundant and the Manchester Evening News losing 39 editorial staff out of 90.
MediaGuardian says it understands that staff were told in meetings today that the number of editorial jobs to be cut had fallen from 54 to 34 following a public campaign to support quality journalism in the region.
Meanwhile, HoldtheFrontPage reports that a political row is brewing with MPs in the North West urging the Guardian Media Group to rethink its plans to cut jobs at MEN Media, which would see 78 journalists being made redundant and the Manchester Evening News losing 39 editorial staff out of 90.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
MEN chapel condemns job cuts and calls for meeting with Liz Forgan and Scott Trust
The MEN NUJ chapel in Manchester has unanimously passed a motion condemning the Guardian Media Group's job cuts announced this week at MEN Media and its Surrey and Berkshire regional newspaper division.
The chapel has asked for Dame Liz Forgan and other trustees of the Scott Trust to meet them in Manchester.
The motion said: "The Chapel utterly condemns this week's announcements of sweeping job cuts at the MEN, our Greater Manchester weekly newspapers and the group's publications in Surrey and Berkshire and believes they will have a devastating effect on local democracy and regional journalism."
The Chapel said it also "rejects absolutely any compulsory journalistic redundancies,which are especially unpalatable at a time when the organisation is still making a profit. The total number of proposed redundancies is unjustifiable and unsustainable."
The motion added: "Since it is clear that these executive decisions have been demanded by the GMG board and sanctioned by the Scott Trust, we request that Dame Liz Forgan and her fellow trustees come to Manchester as soon as possible to speak to us."
The chapel has asked for Dame Liz Forgan and other trustees of the Scott Trust to meet them in Manchester.
The motion said: "The Chapel utterly condemns this week's announcements of sweeping job cuts at the MEN, our Greater Manchester weekly newspapers and the group's publications in Surrey and Berkshire and believes they will have a devastating effect on local democracy and regional journalism."
The Chapel said it also "rejects absolutely any compulsory journalistic redundancies,which are especially unpalatable at a time when the organisation is still making a profit. The total number of proposed redundancies is unjustifiable and unsustainable."
The motion added: "Since it is clear that these executive decisions have been demanded by the GMG board and sanctioned by the Scott Trust, we request that Dame Liz Forgan and her fellow trustees come to Manchester as soon as possible to speak to us."
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
The cuts keep coming: today its 95 at Guardian titles in Surrey and Berkshire
The Guardian Media Group is making significant cuts at its Surrey and Berkshire regional newspapers, with 95 jobs, four offices and two newspapers set to go, Press Gazette reports today.
That's on top of the 150 announced at the Guardian's MEN Media in Manchester yesterday.
Press Gazette says as part of the proposed changes, being announced to staff today, the five-days-a-week Reading Evening Post will be cut back to just two days a week.
GMG said it will not make an announcement until all staff at the division, which includes the Surrey Advertiser and Farnborough News and Mail, are told.
That's on top of the 150 announced at the Guardian's MEN Media in Manchester yesterday.
Press Gazette says as part of the proposed changes, being announced to staff today, the five-days-a-week Reading Evening Post will be cut back to just two days a week.
GMG said it will not make an announcement until all staff at the division, which includes the Surrey Advertiser and Farnborough News and Mail, are told.
Monday, February 16, 2009
NUJ says GMG 'must negotiate' on pay freeze
The NUJ said today it has "reminded" managers at Guardian Media Group that the company is obliged to enter into negotiations over its planned pay freeze for 2009 because of agreements on consultation it has with the union.
GMG said on Friday that the economic downturn means it cannot increase salaries this year and most executive bonuses will not be paid.
NUJ head of publishing, Barry Fitzpatrick, said today: “A pay review is due and we have tabled a number of questions to management to clarify the company’s position and financial situation. The company has already made commitments to conduct a pay audit and we have a right to be consulted over pay, so we expect formal negotiations to take place.
“We welcome reassurances from management that there are no plans for job cuts – and firmer commitments on this would certainly ease our negotiations – but the company needs to involve its staff representatives in any decisions that are taken.”
GMG said on Friday that the economic downturn means it cannot increase salaries this year and most executive bonuses will not be paid.
NUJ head of publishing, Barry Fitzpatrick, said today: “A pay review is due and we have tabled a number of questions to management to clarify the company’s position and financial situation. The company has already made commitments to conduct a pay audit and we have a right to be consulted over pay, so we expect formal negotiations to take place.
“We welcome reassurances from management that there are no plans for job cuts – and firmer commitments on this would certainly ease our negotiations – but the company needs to involve its staff representatives in any decisions that are taken.”
Guardian pay freeze gets icy NUJ response
The NUJ is asking for more financial information and meetings with the Guardian Media Group over the proposed group-wide pay freeze.
NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear says on his blog , referring to a meeting with Guardian management on Friday: "The afternoon was dominated by a meeting with Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger and senior finance and editorial managers - during which they announced their plans for a pay freeze for all staff - we've not accepted the need for the freeze, instead asking them key questions about the company's finances. Further information-gathering meetings will take place before pay negotiations next month."
NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear says on his blog , referring to a meeting with Guardian management on Friday: "The afternoon was dominated by a meeting with Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger and senior finance and editorial managers - during which they announced their plans for a pay freeze for all staff - we've not accepted the need for the freeze, instead asking them key questions about the company's finances. Further information-gathering meetings will take place before pay negotiations next month."
Saturday, December 20, 2008
How does The Guardian do it?
Interesting post on his Media Money blog by Press Gazette's money man Peter Kirwan on why The Guardian appears to be the exception to the rule. It is investing by moving to new canal-side offices in King's Cross (see pic.) while elsewhere there is carnage in the newspaper industry with job losses and cut backs.The Guardian's move to Kings Place has not been without some stress. The Camden Gazette reports that the building has come under sniper fire from a nearby council estate.
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