View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. News
June 4, 2019updated 30 Sep 2022 7:52am

Evening Standard theatre critics axed in ‘necessary cost-cutting’ at title

By Charlotte Tobitt

The Evening Standard will lose two of its theatre critics in editorial job cuts falling as part of plans to merge its print and online teams.

Henry Hitchings and Fiona Mountford both announced on Twitter this afternoon that they will be leaving the newspaper as part of “necessary cost-cutting”. Each has written for the title for more than ten years.

Editor George Osborne told staff at the end of May that the Standard would create “single-structure editorial departments” to avoid “unnecessary duplication”, before confirming this would result in redundancies.

A consultation with staff began on 3 May, and it is understood that some affected journalists were handed their notice today.

It has been reported that up to 20 jobs could be affected, but Standard owner ESI Media would not comment while the consultation period is ongoing.

An ESI Media spokesperson told Press Gazette: “As we confirmed last month, we are reviewing the Evening Standard editorial teams and processes, working with managers to agree on the most efficient structure going forward.

“As the consultation process is still live, we can’t discuss specifics relating to individuals, but as part of this process, we can confirm that we will be bringing more of our arts criticism in house.

Content from our partners
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it
Impress: Regulation, arbitration and complaints resolution

“The arts department remains a key part of the Evening Standard’s editorial agenda and we will be announcing a new critics line up in due course.”

In his farewell message, Hitchings tweeted: “It’s been a pleasure to have this opportunity, and I’m certainly not about to stop going to the theatre.”

Hitchings, who was on a non-staff contract, said his reviews will continue to run in the paper for about one month after being given notice today.

Speaking to Press Gazette, the critic said: “Regardless of what anyone thinks of me as a person or as a critic it’s always a bit worrying if you work in the theatre to see critics getting the axe, because you think what sort of coverage are we going to get in the future?”

He suggested a cheaper way for the paper to run theatre reviews may be by using staff journalists to write them.

Hitchings said he believes the Evening Standard Theatre Awards, for which he was on the panel, will continue to run as normal. This has since been confirmed by ESI Media.

Mountford tweeted earlier that she had been at the Standard for 17 “happy” years, adding: “It’s been a blast.”

The Standard reported an operating loss of £10m for the year ending September 2017, down from £2.2m in 2016.

The Evening Standard distributes just under 900,000 free copies every weekday throughout Greater London, relying on print advertising and sponsored content as its primary source of revenue.

It made a turnover of £64m in 2017 and a pre-tax loss of £11.7m, according to the latest available company accounts.

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