Jobs to go in Daily Mirror cutbacks

The Daily Mirror is cutting staff on its news and picture desks as part of a cost-saving plan, with up to eight posts to go.

On the Daily Mirror newsdesk, the number of jobs is being reduced from six to four, with the posts of deputy news editor and forward planner to be axed.

The posts of foreign editor and picture editor will also be abolished as part of the cuts, which one Mirror insider described as "breathtaking".


But while eight posts are to be abolished, it is possible that only six staff will be affected because of potential voluntary redundancies and vacant positions not being filled.

"It's proof that we are closer to the Daily Express than the Sun, which we have always feared for a long time," one Daily Mirror journalist said today.

Senior Daily Mirror newsdesk staff called to the HR department yesterday are understood to have included foreign editor Mark Ellis, forward planner Jane Kerr, head of pictures Ian Down, picture editor Greg Bennett, acting news editor Euan Stretch and acting deputy news editor Barry Rabbetts.

But while it is clear which posts are being abolished, it is not clear which staff members are going to lose their jobs, as staff have been told that the situation will be affected by redeployment, voluntary redundancies and the abolition of vacant posts.

A spokesman for Daily Mirror owner Trinity Mirror said: "We are constantly reviewing how we can improve the efficiency of our business to ensure our titles are as competitive as possible within a challenging media environment and difficult economic climate.

"Following a review of news, features and picture desks, this will unfortunately lead to a number of job losses in these areas.

"We are now in a period of consultation with our employees. However, it is hoped that many of the proposed redundancies can be offset by voluntary redundancy and redeployment across the titles."

The Daily Mirror is in consultation with the Mirror Group staff's representative body, the British Association of Journalists.

These Daily Mirror cutbacks are the latest stage of a series of sweeping cost-cutting measures Trinity Mirror has launched amid a falling share price and a plunge in advertising revenue.

In July Trinity Mirror axed 11 subeditors as it integrated some subbing operations across the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and the People.

Mirror Group created a "central production unit" for its features operation in a bid to cut costs.

Earlier the company issued a profit warning, which resulted in the share price slumping more than 28% after it said profits would be 10% lower than expected this year.

Last month Trinity Mirror announced a major overhaul of its Midlands regional publishing operation, which led to all 300 of the division's journalists being asked to reapply for their jobs, with 65 journalists' posts to be closed.

Trinity Mirror is also due to hold talks at conciliation service Acas with the National Union of Journalists over staff concerns about what they claim is a lack of editorial resources at the company's Glasgow-based titles, including the Daily Record.

Stephen Brook
The Guardian
September 3rd