INM merges operations of ‘Sunday World’ and ‘Herald’

Independent News & Media is to seek 13 voluntary redundancies following the merger of the editorial operations of the Sunday World and The Herald, the company said today.

Journalists at the two tabloid newspapers will be “integrated” in a single seven-day operation, which the company described as “a content centre”.

The titles of the print newspapers will remain as the Sunday World and The Herald, which until last year was known as the Evening Herald.

The company, which counts Denis O’Brien as its largest shareholder, said the move was “designed to optimise the news offering of both titles” and that the new operation would have a “digital first” approach to publication online.

INM editor-in-chief Stephen Rae described it as "a fundamental restructuring of the production and reporting process".

Employees were informed of the development at a meeting this afternoon.

INM chairman Leslie Buckley said in June that the group planned to make cuts of €20 million to its operational costs over the course of 2014 and 2015.