Staff at Rupert Mudoch's remaining upscale London newspapers were told today of impending staff cuts and plans by the publisher to consolidate some back office functions.
John Witherow, editor of the Sunday Times, told his staff that a 12 per cent cut in staff would be carried out at both his weekly newspaper and at its Monday-through-Saturday sister paper, the Times of London.
At the Sunday Times, the move was expected to result in the layoffs of 15 to 20 journalists, or about 10 per cent of the newspaper's editorial staff, according to a source familiar with Witherow's disclosure.
Both papers will also reduce employment of "casuals" - non-staff journalists who work regular shifts at the papers - by about 30 per cent, the source said.
The papers, which historically have operated independently, and often with considerably rivalry, will move to consolidate some back office functions, staffers were told.
Also, while retaining their current architecture, the papers are expected to reduce pages in some sections.
The six-day daily Times is reputed to have lost millions of pounds sterling for its owners, but the Sunday Times until recently had reportedly been a major money maker for News International, Mr Murdoch's London newspaper publishing company.
It was not immediately known if the publisher also planned to make cuts at Mr Murdoch's six-day "red top" tabloid, the Sun. Earlier this year, Mr Murdoch shuttered the Sun's Sunday stablemate, the News of the World, following uproar over revelations about how its journalists had hacked into voice mails of celebrites, politicians and crime victims.
A company spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The annual general meeting of Mr Murdoch's main corporate vehicle, New York-based News Corp , is scheduled to be held tomorrow in Los Angeles.
Reuters