Johnston Press is looking to axe three editor jobs in the Midlands following its decision to earlier this year to convert former dailies the Northampton Chronicle and Northamptonshire Telegraph into weeklies.
Following a ‘strategic review of editorial management and production processes’at Johnston subsidiary Northamptonshire Newspapers, the paper plans to merge the editorial management across its three newspaper centres in Northamptonshire, Warwickshire and Leicestershire.
Staff were told: ‘It is proposed that the group editor in Northampton will also take on the responsibility for the Daventry Express; the editor’s role at Kettering will also take responsibility for the Market Harborough Mail and the role of editor of the Leamington Spa Courier would take responsibility for the newspapers in Rugby.
‘Should this proposal go ahead there would be a reduction of three roles in editorial.
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‘Prior to any implementation, we will consult extensively on an individual and collective basis, explaining the procedure, considering all alternatives and endeavouring to mitigate the effects of this proposal through voluntary redundancy and redeployment elsewhere in the Group.
‘The consultation period is expected to be completed by 7 September 2012.”
Insiders believe Northampton Chronicle editor David Summers will stay as group editor with the other five editors competing for the two remaining roles.
The editors at the Northants Telegraph, Daventry Express, Harborough Mail, Leamington Courier and Rugby Advertiser are all affected by the proposed changes.
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