Birmingham Post: Local online plans could endanger BBC’s newsgathering, says Post editor

BBC plans to invest in local online news coverage will raise competition for 'eyeballs' and therefore impact on advertising revenue for local newspapers, says Marc Reeves. The proposals could also affect the corporation's own newsgathering operation: "You can often set your watch by the time it takes between a news story appearing on the Birmingham Post or the Birmingham Mail websites to its debut on the BBC site," writes Reeves. "Newspapers like the Birmingham Post employ journalists working on the frontline of the newsgathering process on the streets of the city and wider region and the coverage we generate filters out across the broader media, including the BBC." Full story...

Tags: BBC, Birmingham Post, local online news coverage, Marc Reeves

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• MediaGuardian: Trinity Mirror announces redundancies for all 300 editorial staff in Midlands

MediaGuardian: Trinity Mirror announces redundancies for all 300 editorial staff in Midlands

According to the Guardian, all 300 editorial staff at Trinity Mirror’s Midlands titles have been made redundant and are being asked to reapply for new roles.

The mass restructuring of editorial staff will pave the way for the integration of multimedia, production and news desks across Trinity’s titles in the region.

A central multimedia desk will be created to take control of editorial content for the Birmingham Mail, Birmingham Post and Sunday Mercury with particular responsibility for online platforms.

A similar hub will be developed to produce content for its Coventry-based titles, while a regional production unit will oversee the multimedia desks’ work.

In addition a new work process of ‘content creation, multimedia desk, page finishing’ will be implemented.

Yesterday Trinity Mirror said the changes would require ’substantially fewer journalists’ and the publisher has entered into a consultation process with the National Union of Journalists (NUJ).

“Whatever the company may claim, you simply can’t take dozens of journalists out of your local operations and continue to report news to the same standard. Bosses at the company are sacrificing quality journalism to appease the short-term whims of the financial markets,” said Jeremy Dear, NUJ general secretary, in response to yesterday’s announcement.

Tags: Birmingham Mail, Birmingham Post, Coventry, management changes, National Union, Sunday Mercury

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