Reach is set to scrap the Birmingham Post website and replace it with a business news brand.
The Birmingham Post is largely focused on business news in the city, but also reports on other regional stories.
Its website will be replaced by Business Live, a new online brand reporting on both national and local business stories.
The Post’s weekly print edition sells some 2,500 copies and will continue.
Press Gazette reported on the planned launch of Business Live back in January when Reach, formerly Trinity Mirror, unveiled its proposals.
The launch of the new brand is set for June, according to a Birmingham Post article on the changes.
The Birmingham Post said: “Your Birmingham Post business news will have a new online home from next month as we launch an exciting new business website.
“Business Live is the new, national digital brand from Reach, the publisher of Birmingham Live and the Birmingham Post and Mail.
“It will bring together business news from the Greater Birmingham area, West Midlands and across the UK and, as a result, the Birmingham Post website will be discontinued.”
Reach will continue to provide online news to Birmingham through its Birmingham Live website, which is tied to regional daily the Birmingham Mail. The Midlands city was first to trial Reach’s “Live” online model, which completely separates digital and print editorial teams.
The new website will see Liverpool Echo executive business editor Alistair Houghton edit the website as a new business writer role opened up in Leeds.
Reach has confirmed there will be no job cuts resulting from the Post website’s closure. Business reporter Tamlyn Jones will cover Birmingham for Business Live.
When plans for Business Live were first revealed, Reach chief audience officer David Higgerson described it as a “clear opportunity to enhance our digital business offering by consolidating our various titles’ coverage into a bespoke brand”.
The Post update said the new Business Live brand would focus on entrepreneurs, small firms and “the stars of the future”.
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