Redundancies are on the cards amid plans from IPC Media to merge the editorial teams at two of its weeky magazines for women.
According to one source, the two magazines will come under one editor following the re-organisation.
Both titles saw their sales decline in the second half of ABC, in common with nearly every other magazine in the women’s weekly sector.
Sales of Chat dropped 5.7 per cent to an average of 415,040 and Pick Me Up fell 13 per cent to 287,029.
June Smith-Sheppard stepped down as editor of Chat last month to launch her own business The Fabulous Consultancy. She was editor of Chat before launch-editing Pick Me Up in January 2005. She briefly edited both titles.
IPC declined to comment on speculation that Chat editor Gilly Sinclair will now edit both of the real-life titles.
It also declined to comment on the number of editorial redundancies, but Press Gazette understands the reduction in editorial roles will be in single figures.
He spokesman said: ‘IPC Connect can confirm that it is in a consultation process with affected staff with the intention of reorganising the editorial resource behind its two Real Life weeklies – Chat and Pick Me Up.
‘The subject of the consultation is the creation of an editorial Real Life Group, integrating the currently separate Chat and Pick Me Up teams. The proposed integration would, we believe, create significant strategic benefits for both brands.
‘IPC Connect will not be commenting further until the consultation is completed.”
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