AS part of cuts expected to involve the loss of 200 jobs, there are no longer to be Scottish editions of the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror newspapers.
It follows an announcement by Mirror Group Newspapers, concerning the introduction of “new, multimedia newsrooms” at the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and People, following the implementation of ContentWatch, a web-based content management system.
Says MGN: “The transformational plan developed by the senior editorial team includes the outsourcing of elements of the subbing process; the merger of news and features on each title into single content units creating super pools of reporters and writers; the merging of digital and print publishing teams and the end of editionising the Mirror titles in Scotland.”
The publishers go on to say: “It is anticipated that this will result in around 200 editorial job losses across the three titles, of which a significant number are not employees of MGN Ltd but casual workers. Mirror Group Newspapers has now entered into a period of consultation with those staff likely to be affected. The company today has also launched a voluntary redundancy programme.”
ContentWatch has been in operation at the Daily Record and Sunday Mail newspapers for a year, which led to editorial posts going there, as part of a staff restructuring and pooling of production.
As recently as five years ago, the Scottish Daily Mirror comprised around 35 staff. In November two years ago, Maggie Barry was retained at the Scottish Daily Mirror, when its then four Scottish posts were reduced to one. At the Scottish Sunday Mirror, its editor is Steve Martin and reporter is Thomas Smith.
According to the latest newspaper circulation figures (another set are out tomorrow), the Scottish Daily Mirror sold an average 26,094 copies in Scotland during April – down 5.6 per cent on twelve months previously – while the Scottish Sunday Mirror figure was 22,521, down 7.2 per cent.
