View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

Telegraph set for 40 ‘new world’ jobs as all casual staff are axed

By Press Gazette

Telegraph Media Group is to stop using casual staff altogether next month when it creates 40 new permanent jobs focusing on new media skills such as mapping and managing data.

Executive director, editorial, Richard Ellis wrote to casual staff on the Daily Telegraph, Sunday Telegraph and Telegraph.co.uk last week inviting them to apply for the ‘wide-ranging and exciting’jobs, which are advertised on the company intranet.

The letter says there will be: ‘around 18 content editors, a new role for TMG, for multi-skilled journalists who are able to do everything from write, to commission, to edit, to produce both across online and print.”

There will also be six new reporting jobs, seven ‘new world’jobs such as ‘a data mapping expert’and a ‘digital technologist’plus five part-time production journalist roles.

From 13 October, the final application date for the production jobs, TMG ‘will no longer use casuals whatsoever”, Ellis said.

The company is advising casuals to seek work elsewhere in case they are not successful and is setting up a meeting room at its Buckingham Palace Road offices to act as a ‘resource centre’for one month for those affected to help them find alternative work.

‘There will be four computers attached to printers for you to use to search for work, to write and send CVs etc, as well as relevant publications that carry job advertisements,’Ellis’s letter said.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

TMG will also hold seminars on how to find work from searching to applying as well as financial advice sessions.

The National Union of Journalists has criticised TMG for proposing to scrap the current nine-day fortnight currently enjoyed by 65 production staff, in return for a £2,000 payment.

General Secretary Jeremy Dear said last month when the initial plans were announced to staff: ‘Although the creation of new jobs makes good headlines, the proposals to end the use of casuals will be of serious concern to freelances at the papers, whilst permanent employees will be extremely anxious about the implications for their hours and working patterns.

‘The union will now be holding weekly meetings with management to discuss the proposals in more detail.”

Topics in this article :

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network