News International to cut 65 jobs
News International warned staff yesterday that it plans cut 65 editorial jobs across its four national newspaper titles as part of an efficiency drive.
The Sunday Times is set to lose 20 journalist, while the Times, the Sun and the News of the World will each lose 15 editorial staff as a result of the cuts.
However, News International’s freesheet the London Paper will be not be affected, according to reports.
Staff found out about their fate editors yesterday following an email from James Murdoch, who heads up News International as News Corporation’s chairman and chief executive for Europe and Asia.
“We have identified areas where we can improve efficiency and speed up the production of our titles and websites. This will allow us to strengthen editorial by reinvesting savings into our title,” Murdoch told staff.
John Witherow, editor of the Sunday Times, said: “Our aim must be to produce the Sunday Times as efficiently as possible and make it an even better newspaper able to compete against our rivals.
“Our dedicated to top-class journalism will be strengthened after this difficult period, and that has to be good for the long-term future of the paper,” he added.
Last week, News International’s parent company, News Corporation, reported a $6.4 billion (£4.37 billion) loss for the final three months of 2008.
At the time, Murdoch said that as a result of the “grim economic climate” the company would be “implementing rigorous cost-cutting across all operations and reducing head count where appropriate”.
In the latest ABC release, all four of News International’s titles suffered circulation declines, though the Sun still has the highest circulation of any daily national, at 3.1 million, despite a 2% year on year dip.
The Times fell by around 2.5% to 617,000, while the Sunday Times fell the same amount, leaving it with a circulation of 1.2 million.
The News of the World can also still boast a circulation of above three million, but it was down by over 7% year on year, a real term decline of just under 234,000 copies.
News International: 020 7782 3922 www.newscorp.co.uk