Union bids to save newspaper jobs

The Eastern Daily Press is one of Archant's 50 titles

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) is petitioning the government to save jobs at regional newspaper group Archant Norfolk.

The group, which publishes the Eastern Daily Press, is axing a third of its 179 editorial staff in Norfolk.

Company bosses said the cuts come after falls in advertising revenue prompted by the economic downturn.

The NUJ has started a petition asking the prime minister to save the 54 posts across the weekly and daily titles.

Archant Norfolk also produces the Norwich Evening News and a variety of weekly titles across the county.

The company, which recently cut jobs at other newspapers in East Anglia, made the announcement to staff at a meeting last Friday.

Archant owns publications in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

Published figures show the company's newspaper and printing profits fell by 32% to £16.2m, while magazine profits are down 18% at £5.8m.

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