February 8, 2008

Nearly 50 editorial staff affected as First and New Woman close

Bauer Consumer Media has axed women’s weekly First and dwindling monthly NW (formerly called New Woman() just two months after buying Emap consumer titles.

Bauer Consumer Media, formerly Emap Consumer Media, was created when Bauer bought Emap consumer magazines division for £1.14 billion.

In a statement today Marcus Rich, group managing director of Bauer Advertising and Bauer London Lifestyle Magazines, said: ‘Today Bauer Consumer Media (formerly Emap Consumer Media) has announced the suspension of NW (New Woman) and First, whilst we enter a month-long period of consultation with editorial staff. There will be no further comment until this consultation process has concluded.”

Next week’s issue of First will be on sale on Tuesday but will be suspended thereafter, the April issue of NW will be on sale at the end of February and subsequently be suspended.

Some 49 editorial staff in total will be affected by the consultation – 30 on First and 19 on NW, but it is not yet clear how many, if any, redundancies will be made.

NW saw a 45.3 per cent decline in circulation in the first half of 2007, down to NW 126,805 year on year.

First, launched in 2006 with a launch circulation of 100,439 for the second half of the year, showed a slight decrease period on period to 100,439 for the first half of 2007.