The Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) has hit out at job losses at Fairfax and News Limited, warning these shifts are indicative of “disturbing times” in the newspaper industry.
Following speculation on Monday News Limited may axe 400 jobs as part of a restructure, it was revealed today Fairfax Regional Media will relocate editorial production of nine of its mastheads to New Zealand.
“This shows there are very disturbing times for newspapers around the world,” MEAA media director Paul Murphy told AdNews. “We are all grappling to find a sustainable model to support quality journalism. Our members are not against change, but this change should be done in a way that supports and maintains quality journalism.”
The changes at Fairfax will affect 66 staff, who have been offered redeployment or voluntary redundancies. According to the MEAA, if the number of staff accepting redundancy payments or redeployment is insufficient, Fairfax will forcibly make redundancies.
The titles affected are The Illawarra Mercury, The Newcastle Herald, The Lake Times, The Kiama Independent, The Newcastle Star, The Myall Coast Nota, The Port Stephens Examiner and The Lakes Mail. A Fairfax statement released overnight stated no reporting or photographic positions would be affected.
“This is a very dangerous step for Fairfax to be taking,” MEAA federal secretary Chris Warren said in a statement. “There has been no experience in Australia of companies making the decision to offshore such a central part of the newspaper and this can only destroy the vital nexus between the newsroom and the community.
“Newspapers are not just the product of photographers’ or journalists: sub-editors are the heart of the newsroom, with vast institutional and organisational memories, and an intimate knowledge of their community. It is our belief that the entire staff should always be embedded in the community to enable the newspaper to tell the local story accurately.”
A spokesperson for Fairfax Metro Media told The Australian these lay-offs would not extend to mastheads The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, but the MEAA is still concerned.
“This is an alarming precedent that could be replicated on other mastheads like The Sydney Morning Herald or The Age and should be stopped before it’s too late,” said Warren.
On Monday, a News Limited spokesperson would neither confirm nor deny that up to 400 employees, mostly in the editorial division, faced the axe.
“As we work through internal initiatives we will always work with our staff to ensure that changes are made with care and with a view to minimal disruption as we transform the company and make it stronger in delivering great products to consumers and advertisers.
“It is not News Limited’s practice to discuss internal organisational matters and general operational initiatives in public and so we will not be providing a running commentary.”
In a speech at Sydney's Macleay College on Monday night, former News Limited chief executive John Hartigan said such speculation had far-reaching and industry-wide consequences. “Even if they're only rumours, these stories have an impact, particularly on employment opportunities in the media sector.”
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