7 Dec 2012

Job cuts at News Ltd

8:59 am on 7 December 2012

News Ltd is to make an expected 60 production personnel redundant after outsourcing the sub-editing of nine regional newspapers in Australia.

AAP reports the company is outsourcing the sub-editing of The Mercury in Hobart, Sunday Tasmanian, Geelong Advertiser, The Cairns Post, Townsville Bulletin, Gold Coast Bulletin, NT News, Sunday Territorian and Centralian Advocate to Pagemasters, a subsidiary of Australian Associated Press.

The Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance said 60 editorial positions would be affected.

News Limited said on Thursday the changes included a $A60 million investment in a new publishing system, Eidos Methode.

In September, News Ltd announced the outsourcing of sub-editing for more than 100 community newspapers to Pagemasters.

That move resulted in the loss of about 65 jobs at News Ltd, while Pagemasters added 40 new staff to do the work.