One More Thing: INM Belfast printing plant Pitted against market forces

Things change quickly in the media industry. It was only January when Independent News and Media (INM) chief executive Robert Pitt scoffed at journalists who asked at a meeting in the Gibson Hotel if it might close any printing plants.

Lo and behold, it has just announced the closure of a Belfast printing plant with the loss of 89 jobs "after the ending of a key contract", which all sounds very scheduled. We hear that what actually happened is News UK, the publisher of the Sun and Sunday Times, offered INM up to £7 million to be released early from its long-term contract.

Indo said the terms of its agreement with News UK paid for the redundancy packages of staff. It also said unused capacity in “others’ more modern plants” helped to convince it to close its facility.