Jobs at risk as newspaper group set to make redundancies
Some 100 people could lose their jobs at a West Midlands newspaper group after its owner started consulting with staff over redundancies.
The Midland News Association (MNA), publisher of the Express & Star and Shropshire Star, said the coronarivus pandemic was to blame for the proposed job cuts, saying it had “severely affected” its advertising revenue.
An anonymous staff member at MNA contacted TheBusinessDesk.com to vent their frustration, saying: “Half of us got put on furlough last month. After taking all the Government money they say they have to make up to 100 redundancies.”
In March, MNA stopped producing Chronicle Week, dubbed “the UK’s biggest free weekly newspaper”, the Shrewsbury Chronicle and Telford Journal.
MNA, which dates back to the 1880s, said the cuts were necessary so that the company could secure A “sustainable future.”
Print manager Graeme Clifford told the BBC, “The review of our portfolio could, regrettably, lead to redundancies as we look to secure a sustainable future for the company in these unprecedented circumstances.
“Our priority is to support members of staff whose roles are potentially affected by the changes and, while we are in consultation, it would be inappropriate to make any further comment at this time.
“In the meantime, we will continue to focus on our core titles, including the Express & Star and Shropshire Star, to ensure that we continue to serve our loyal readers and advertisers both in print and online.”
The news comes shortly after George Boyden & Son, which publishes the 160-year-old Stratford Herald, has called in administrators from Elwell Watchorn & Saxton in Nottingham to look after the day-to-day running of the company. The company also published the Herald’s sister paper, Midweek and a lifestyle magazine called Focus.
