June 29, 2015

Regional press business journalist of the year takes voluntary redundancy from Birmingham Mail

The business editor of the Birmingham Mail has announced his decision to take voluntary redundancy a day before his 40th anniversary in journalism.

Jon Griffin, who was named business and finance journalist of the year at last month’s Regional Press Awards, is leaving as part of a programme for 19 job losses in Birmingham.

Trinity Mirror, which owns the newspaper, also announced recently that journalists will be held responsible for growing their personal online audience.

Griffin told Press Gazette: “The newsroom is changing here as everybody knows, and I feel that now is the right time to go.”

His career in journalism began at the Peterborough Evening Telegraph on 30 June 1975. He joined the then Birmingham Evening Mail in 1978, and returned to the paper in April 1996 after working for the Coventry Telegraph and the Wolverhampton Express and Star.

Griffin has won the business journalist of the year prize at the Midlands Media Awards on nine occasions.

According to Holdthefrontpage, Griffin was threatened with compulsory redundancy – which was later lifted – earlier this year.

He said today: “I hope to continue in some form as a journalist but I am open to offers. Whether that will be in newspapers or on a freelance basis I really don’t know.”