There are grumblings of revolt at the Leicester Mercury where journalists and the commercial team have now reportedly been squeezed on to one floor in a bid to save money.
Fair enough, we all have to tighten our belts in this age of austerity. But journalists have apparently drawn the line at plans to build a stage so that ad staff can hold their weekly prize-giving.
Said Axegrinder’s mole at the Mercury: “Editorial have complained about this for a long time. They were often loud and disruptive when they were in their own department. It reached what we thought was a nadir when they started having these ceremonies in fancy dress. Now there is to be a stage.”
Apparently the issue of disrupting the phone calls of desk-bound journalists was raised at the Mercury’s regular Health and Safety meeting, as this memo reveals:
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“The issue of the construction of a small stage area in advertising was raised. TP reported that the publisher was very keen for this to happen and that it will go ahead. On the specific issue of activity on the stage clashing with sensitive phone calls; these must be planned when making such outgoing calls so that they are not made when the stage is in use. The stage is not in constant use and will involve attendance by editorial staff on certain occasions. (Last month’s Brilliance winner was Dan Martin from editorial, for instance). If such a phone call was received the recipient should explain what is going on and offer to call them back.”
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