NEWS 10

Newsquest fires veteran executives and orders them to quit the office

SUMMARY: 

Regional publishers are eradicating jobs. Many of the people in the know also accept that such cutbacks, even if unpalatable, are part of the process engendered by the digital revolution. Developing technology allows us to achieve more with less, especially in newspaper production. And it also makes commercial sense to do that from centralised subbing “hubs”. The NUJ’s northern and Midlands assistant organiser, Jane Kennedy, was also stunned by the job losses. She said: “The savagery of these cuts show the utter disrespect shown by Newsquest to journalists who have given them decades of highly-dedicated and skilled service.” Week after week, Newsquest’s axe sweeps away jobs (following orders from its US-based parent, Gannett, to maximise profits). Just a couple of days ago, the company also announced 11 redundancies on its Essex titles. Even if necessary, does the company not care at all for the human beings it employs and lets go so carelessly?

FACTS:

• They were not to return to the office where they had worked for 40 and 38 years respectively. It is a disgraceful way to treat people who have given long service.
•  Newsquest refuses to respond to press queries (yes, the irony is striking).
• Gee also pointed out that the Lancashire Telegraph was recently named as the best online media outfit at the O2 North West Media Awards.

The Murdochs: how Keith's legacy became Rupert's obsession

SUMMARY;

On 12 April 2012, following the News of the World phone hacking scandal, Keith Rupert Murdoch submitted his witness statement to Britain’s Leveson Inquiry into “the culture, practice and ethics of the press”. Its opening lines stressed that his grandfather had been a Presbyterian minister and supporter of the free press. Rupert then quoted the section of his father’s will in which Keith Murdoch laid down his expectations that his son “should continue to express ideals of newspaper and broadcasting activities in the service of others and these ideals should be pursued with deep interest”. The will, setting out Keith’s hope that his son should have the “great opportunity” of “ultimately occupying a position of high responsibility” in the field of the media, was dated 21 January 1948. It had been written when Rupert was still at school, aged just sixteen.

FACTS:

• In October 1952, Elisabeth had given Rupert’s tutor at Oxford the task of telling Rupert his father had died. Rupert returned to Melbourne as soon as he could, though unfortunately not soon enough to attend the funeral.
• When Rupert arrived back there was at least some time for private grief with his mother and sisters before he had to undertake the difficult tasks of understanding Keith’s financial affairs and resolving the inheritance.
•  At the end of 1952 it was election time in America and Keith’s close friend the HWT’s New York bureau chief Randal Heymanson tried to get Rupert into one of the rallies “which will doubtless increase his prestige with his Oxford pals”.