View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Media Business
June 8, 2015

‘Your newspaper is a mere shadow of itself’: MPs condemn Trinity Mirror’s Midlands job cuts plan

By William Turvill

Geoffrey Robinson, MP for Coventry North West, has written to the editor of the Coventry Telegraph to protest six planned journalism job cuts.

Last week, Trinity Mirror announced that it was seeking to make 25 redundancies across the Midlands, including 19 in Birmingham.

Robinson has, along with fellow Coventry MPs Colleen Fletcher and Jim Cunningham, requested a meeting with editor Keith Perry on Friday.

Robinson also wrote a letter to the newspaper saying: “Redundancies are always a sad business and very sadly they seem to come in a never ending stream at the Coventry Telegraph. Your newspaper is a mere shadow of itself. After the present redundancies, your paper could be left with just four reporters and as few as 20 editorial staff in total.

“You will have hollowed out your capacity to play the important role of a free press in a modern democracy. Coventry is fast becoming a vibrant dynamic city again. What a pity that our newspaper has abandoned its responsibility to scrutinise and hold to account those of us in positions of responsibility.”

Robinson has also drafted an early day motion to be read in Parliament. It says: “This House expresses deep concern at the announcement by Trinity Mirror that it intends cutting 25 Midlands jobs as part of a newsroom restructure; further expresses concern at the impact of such a development on local accountability and democracy; further notes the impact this will have on content with far fewer journalists; and urges Trinity Mirror urgently to hold talks with the National Union of Journalists.”

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Topics in this article : ,

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network