Trinity Mirror has announced that up to seven editorial jobs could be cut at its North West and North Wales division.
The company said the cuts were the result of the creation of a new publishing unit in Cheshire and North Wales and a shake-up of its senior management team, which will see the departure of veteran Cheshire editor-in-chief Eric Langton.
The new unit will be led by publishing director Rob Irvine, who currently manages Trinity Mirror’s titles in North Wales.
In his new role he will oversee titles including the Daily Post Wales, Chester Chronicle, North Wales Weekly News and several websites and special publications.
The publishing team will mainly be based at the company’s Llandudno Junction office, but the company said reporters, production journalists, photographers and advertising representatives will continue to be based at offices across the Cheshire and North Wales regions.
A number of other roles in advertising, sales and administration are also at risk of redundancy.
Warren Butcher, managing director of Trinity Mirror North West and North Wales, said: ‘The restructure of our management, commercial and editorial teams is vital to ensure the development of our multimedia publishing business across Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales.
‘We have entered into a period of consultation with all staff affected by the reorganisation and we hope to achieve as many of these redundancies as possible by voluntary means.”
Commenting on Langton’s departure, Butcher added: ‘Eric leaves after an outstanding career in daily and weekly journalism going back over 40 years and taking in frontline experience as a reporter, news editor, sub-editor and, since the 1990s, as editor.
‘In his time as editor he has successfully battled serious illness whilst developing a range of multi-award-winning titles. We would like to take this opportunity to wish Eric success and happiness in future and to thank him for a huge and remarkable contribution to many of Trinity Mirror’s regional newspapers.”
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