View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Publishers
  2. Magazines
March 8, 2011

Merger plan for Chat and Pick Me Up editorial teams

By Dominic Ponsford

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.

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

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.”

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