TSL Education is making five editorial staff redundant as part of a restructure of the Welsh edition of Times Educational Supplement that has already led to the departure of its editor and will result in the closure of its local office.
TES Cymru editor Nicola Porter has been made compulsorily redundant along with a trainee reporter in Wales. Porter has already left her post.
Their departures will leave just a single TES reporter in Wales, who will work from home reporting directly to the news editor of the London-based education weekly once the paper’s Cardiff office is closed next month.
Gerard Kelly, editor of the TES, will assume full control of the title in the devolved nation.
Related
Three further redundancies will take place at TES London offices. Two subeditors and a designer have accepted voluntary redundancy.
The National Union of Journalists is understood to have written to Bernard Gray, executive chairman of TSL, to voice concerns about what its sees as ‘drastic cuts’and asking that the plans be reconsidered.
Kelly told Press Gazette: “Like a lot of other UK publications we have found the Welsh market very difficult.
“Unlike others we intend to continue publishing a Welsh edition, unfortunately to do that we have to close the Welsh office, but we will keep a reporter on the ground.”
Kelly said TES wanted to retain a Welsh edition because of the unique education system operating under the devolved Welsh Assembly, but it had to take some “tough decisions” to keep it open.
He added: “We hope we can give the Welsh market good service but it will be a case of the art of the possible.”
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog
