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Stand up for the Observer: The show goes on

By Dominic Ponsford

The Stand up for the Observer public meeting is going ahead on Monday despite the fact that the closure-threat to the title has now been lifted.

Explaining the decision to press on with the Stand up for the Observer event, an Observer staffer said: “It will be an opportunity to thank everyone who has been involved in the campaign and to celebrate what we have, but also to note that we have no idea what a future Observer will look like or whether it will have adequate resources.”

Comedian David Mitchell is hosting the evening which will also feature contributions from former Observer journalist Katharine Whitehorne, who will perform a reading of her famous 1963 Observer piece “Sluts”; philosopher AC Grayling, British Press Award-winning Observer film critic Philip French, former Observer editor Donald Trelford, film critic Barry Norman and journalist Victoria Coren.

The event was organised by Press Gazette, the National Union of Journalists and Observer staff after it emerged that closing the paper was one of a number of cost-cutting options being considered by Guardian News and Media.

GNM had previously indicated that a decision over the future of the Observer was likely to made at the autumn meeting of the Scott Trust.

But yesterday, GNM parent company Guardian Media Group issued a statement revealing that the part of its review dealing with weekend publishing had been concluded.

They said that they are now committed to publishing a “new look” Observer as well as the Saturday edition of the Guardian. They also announced plans to further integrate the Guardian and Observer editorial teams and warned that there will be further job cuts.

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Stand up for The Observer is being held from 7pm on Monday night at the Friends Meeting House, Euston Road, London.

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