Trinity Mirror to slash more jobs in the Midlands

Trinity Mirror has confirmed more job cuts as it considers changing the Birmingham Post from a daily to a weekly title and switching the Birmingham Mail to a morning paper.

The company said it is currently in consultation with staff and union representatives to “safeguard the future of these businesses” after forecasting a loss of more than £6 million for its Midlands operation next year.

Trinity Mirror said it has been forced to cutback to stop the Birmingham division losing up to as much as £10 million.

Georgina Harvey, the managing director of Trinity Mirror Regionals, said: “The economic situation facing these businesses is extraordinary in both its severity and impact.

“I feel strongly that everyone involved in these businesses – staff and advertisers – are fully aware of these challenges and that we can have a genuine and open dialogue about all potential options that can help to return these businesses into profit.

“We have difficult choices to make but together we will ensure the future viability and survival of our great Midland businesses.”

Since July, the publishing group has closed nine local newspapers and made around 120 workers redundant in the Midlands.

In the last Regional ABC release, for July to December 2008, the Birmingham Mail achieved a circulation of 61,526, a drop of 5000 copies from the previous period.

The Birmingham Post, meanwhile, reported a circulation of 12,791 for November to December 2008.

All the latest Regional ABC figures will be available on MediaTel’s Press Database on Thursday (August 27) at midday. For a full report please see Newsline on Thursday afternoon.