Major changes ahead for your newspapers in North Wales

Dec 4 2008 by Staff Reporter, North Wales Weekly News

TRINITY Mirror North Wales last week announced a major restructure of its news-gathering operation.

The organisation is to launch a new editorial operating model, streamlining production processes at our Llandudno Junction headquarters.

A team of journalists will put together the Daily Post, North Wales Weekly News, Caernarfon and Denbigh Herald, Bangor and Anglesey Mail and Denbighshire Visitor.

The team will also provide up-to-the-minute online content for our websites including dailypost.co.uk.

News-gathering teams will also be based at our offices in Holyhead, Caernarfon and Mold. A journalist will continue to be based in Cardiff covering the Welsh Assembly.

The restructure, to be implemented in the first quarter of 2009, is in line with similar changes being introduced across the North West of England by Trinity Mirror. It will lead to eight job losses in North Wales. The company is committed to achieving as many of the redundancies as possible on a voluntary basis.

The recent world economic crisis has hit advertising revenues across the media industry. Trinity Mirror North Wales managing director Warren Butcher said: “We are determined to carry on producing the vibrant, entertaining and informative newspaper brands which are at the heart of the communities they serve in North Wales.

“To do that in the digital age, and in such difficult trading conditions, has entailed making some bold changes, which will revolutionise the way in which we produce our newspapers and websites.

“It is an unfortunate consequence that part of that process will see the number of required roles reduce. However, we believe the changes we are introducing mean we can do that while maintaining the high-quality products our readers have come to expect.”

Daily Post Editor and Publishing Director Rob Irvine said: “We have devised a more streamlined structure which will cut down on editorial management roles and production staff, but keep our network of news-gatherers and writers as strong and influential as ever.”

The changes mean that all journalists’ jobs alter to some extent, with traditional reporter and photographer roles being replaced by multimedia journalists who will take photographs, shoot video and create unique written web content, as well as writing for the newspapers.

All the existing journalistic staff are being invited to apply for the new jobs, or to apply if they wish for voluntary redundancy. Those leaving the business will be offered counselling and outplacement support.

Those who stay to take on the new roles will receive extensive training, and salary increases where appropriate to reflect enhanced skills and flexibility.

The company is now entering into a period of consultation with all affected staff and with the NUJ.

Daily Post FOC Mike Chapple said: “We are gravely concerned about the implications of these job losses especially since the news gathering operation in North Wales is down its bare bones already.

“Besides the strife this will cause for those who lose their jobs finding another in the journalistic field, there are worries about the conditions for those who are left behind.

“We are also concerned about what effect these cuts will have in terms of maintaining the high quality of journalism that is so important to us and our readers.”