Guardian opens voluntary redundancy round | RSF Press Freedom Index 2024
Plus Press Gazette leads campaign for memorial to journalists killed on the frontline
Welcome to your daily newsletter from Press Gazette on Friday 3 May, brought to you today in association with Desk-Net, the tool for planning content in fast-paced newsrooms. Track progress, allocate assignments, and integrate with your tech stack. Discover how.
Sixteen of our UK (based or born) journalist colleagues have been killed because of their work since 2000.
We believe it’s about time we have a proper memorial for them – and every UK journalist killed before that, too.
That’s why, today on World Press Freedom Day, we at Press Gazette are helping to launch a campaign for a memorial to fallen journalists at the National Memorial Arboretum.
We have a strong roster of industry veterans already showing their support and now we need people to help with fundraising, database research, memorial design and more.
We’re also issuing a callout for information about UK journalists killed before 2000 going back as far as we can – to make sure the database accompanying the memorial can commemorate as many people as possible.
We also have our annual update on the Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index.
The UK has gone up three places to 23rd, although this was put down to other countries around us doing worse.
The UK remains “satisfactory” overall although it is noteworthy that, as in the US, recent job cuts have featured in a change to our economic indicator score.
Speaking of job cuts – The Guardian told staff yesterday it wants to make a “small number” of voluntary redundancies.
It is predicting pressures on costs and revenues will continue “into the next financial year, if not longer” and editor Katharine Viner cited the industry-wide “advertising recession”.
One advertising-reliant business that has been undergoing big changes is the Evening Standard.
Dylan Jones, speaking at the Society of Editors conference this week, revealed he “never” reads a physical paper anymore – a noteworthy thing for the editor of a free commuter newspaper to say. Although he discussed the title’s ongoing digital transformation, the print front page has also seen change since his arrival last year.
He, Liverpool Echo editor Maria Breslin and Mail Online editor Danny Groom discussed the “biggest challenges” facing their businesses – with Google and Facebook, of course, getting a mention.
And finally legal action by four senior female BBC journalists began this week – although a tribunal judge stopped them from bringing an equal pay claim as part of their complaint. They are claiming the application process for chief presenter roles on the merged BBC News Channel last year was “rigged”.
Jobs of the week:
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New from Press Gazette
Campaign for first UK memorial to journalists killed while doing their jobs
The aim is for a sculpture to be commissioned for and placed at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire as a place where families, colleagues and friends can reflect and remember those we have lost.
Guardian to make ‘small number of voluntary redundancies’ amid ad recession
The publisher informed staff in February that advertising revenue had declined by 16%, or £9m, year-on-year in the nine months to 31 December.
Evening Standard editor Dylan Jones: I ‘never’ read a print paper anymore
Instead of reading anything in print anymore, former British GQ editor Jones said, he starts his mornings by checking the Evening Standard website and then looks at “all the apps, that I pay a lot of money for – all the nationals”.
RSF Press Freedom Index 2024: UK and US scores hit by widespread job cuts
The UK’s score was largely flat compared to 2023, but it suffered a five-point drop to 69.4 out of 100 in its economic indicator, which moved from a “satisfactory” to a “problematic” classification. The UK’s overall classification remained “satisfactory”.
Application process for BBC News Channel roles was ‘rigged’, presenters tell tribunal
But the judge yesterday dismissed the equal pay complaint part of the four BBC presenters' case.
News in brief
Donald Trump's golf resort in Aberdeenshire has lost a complaint to IPSO against The Scotsman over two articles about its food hygiene standards. (Press Gazette)
LBC has confirmed the departure of its weekend presenter Sangita Myska after speculation about her “disappearance” from the station. (Press Gazette)
Several months after signing a deal with OpenAI, Axel Springer has now expanded its partnership with Microsoft which will include the development of new AI-driven chat experiences. (Press Gazette)
The New European has named James Ball as its first political editor, leading “expanded political coverage”. (Press Gazette)
The Spectator's events director Leah Herlihy has joined Times Media as director of events to grow its B2B and consumer events portfolio including the CEO Summit and Tech Summit. The publisher believes its events have "huge potential to grow" commercially.
The chairs of the NUJ's ethics and equality councils have written to Spectator editor Fraser Nelson to complain about a "sexist and degrading" column written by Lloyd Evans who, they said, used "sexist tropes that disregard any editorial ethical standards". (NUJ)
A small number of publishers including The Wall Street Journal are taking part in a test with Linkedin that allows them to include 15-second pre-roll ads from sponsors before their organic video content on the platform. (Toolkits)
Reach has launched a new paid summer internship scheme for ten people to join newsrooms across the UK for three months. They want to create a new inclusive pathway for getting into the industry as well as bring in "new talent and perspectives". (Reach)
Firecrown Media, the relatively new owner of Flying magazine, has acquired the railroad and space brands owned by Kalmbach Media including Trains, Model Railroader and Astronomy. (A Media Operator)
IPSO has appointed former head of the Good Housekeeping Institute Karen Barnes to its board and former First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones to its complaints committee. (IPSO)
The Pulitzer Prize board has praised student journalists, especially at Columbia University in New York, who are covering pro-Palestine protests and unrest "in the face of great personal and academic risk". (Pulitzer)
US publisher Gannett reveals its Q1 results: digital revenue was up 8% year-on-year, now accounting for over 42% of the total. Digital-only subs revenues were up 21% year-on-year and digital ad revenues up 5%. Total revenues were down 5%, but growth is now expected for 2024 overall. (Gannett)
Good Housekeeping has launched its first VIP membership offering, with perks like testing products at the Good Housekeeping Institute, entry and a private members' lounge at GH Live, book club membership and a year's subscription to another Hearst magazine and Daily Mail and i digital editions. The VIP membership proposition was teased by Good Housekeeping managing director Liz Moseley in a Press Gazette interview in March and follows in the footsteps of sister brands Elle UK, Women's Health and Men's Health.
Previously on Press Gazette
What’s next for The Atlantic after reaching profitability and 1m subscribers
Prospect CEO has ‘fixed the plumbing’ and is now looking for growth
The media brand with one email newsletter, 15 staff and $15m revenue
Rishi Sunak: OK if I clash with the media as ‘I know how important your role is’
Caroline Waterston officially becomes Mirror editor after Alison Phillips departure
Latest podcast
Podcast 70: The Atlantic’s winning subscription strategy with CEO Nicholas Thompson
The Atlantic has become profitable after years in the red and marked the major milestone of reaching one million subscribers, it announced in April.
CEO Nicholas Thompson joined Press Gazette to discuss the subscription strategy behind The Atlantic’s recent success, how advertising fits in, the search for an elusive third revenue stream, and what goals he might set for the business next.
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