Journalists stunned as Derry Journal sack 15
Staff at the Derry Journal were stunned after 15 journalists and photographers were fired. The British parent company of the Derry Journal, Johnston Press, have been losing money and have been making cost savings every year at the Journal. It was expected by the staff there that there would be more again this year.
However, they were not expecting the axe to be swung so viciously and so deeply. Some of those redundancies will be compulsory. Johnston Press also own other titles in Donegal like the Donegal Democrat and journalists and photographers at those newspapers will be feeling nervous.
Bad Time
With less than 7 weeks to Christmas this will have come at a bad time for them. Some redundancies will be compulsory.
Johnston Press have already moved some of the jobs away from Derry. They have moved all the printing to Portadown. The accounts section are now in Scotland and Advertising Production is now in England. They have also moved to smaller premises in Derry.
It’s not known yet if the Inishowen edition of the Derry Journal will be hit but I’m told this will be a big possibility.