NUJ to the rescue at Post and Mail
JOURNALISTS at Trinity Mirror’s Post and Mail group in Birmingham have presented managers with a plan to boost the sales and profile of their papers.
They want the company to be ambitious, rather than make even more cuts to achieve financial targets. More than 70 editorial jobs were axed last year.
The plan is confidential for commercial reasons — but it includes branding and attracting younger readers.
Chris Morley, NUJ organiser for the north of England and a former Post and Mail journalist, said: “The chapel is extremely concerned about the state of the business and wants to get across to management that it does not believe enough is being done to keep the titles at the centre of life in the Midlands.
“Readers have to be worked for and that means putting real effort into winning their loyalty day in, day out. The journalists at BPM Media are anxious to do this and show that they care about the titles as a business.
“Trinity Mirror should engage with its staff and use this report to gather new readers and customers.”
To demonstrate their strength of feeling Post and Mail staff held a Union Day to “stand up for journalism” in the face of cutbacks and uncertainty over the future of the titles. Scores of reporters, photographers, sub editors, desk staff and technicians — including non-union members — wore NUJ badges on June 5.
Neil Elkes, joint Father of the Chapel, said: “It is a simple demonstration that the chapel members are passionate about journalism; telling great local stories and believing in the various daily and weekly titles we produce.
“We are concerned that the owner Trinity Mirror is considering short-term cuts which could harm quality and circulation in the long term.
“We are working harder than ever, our newsdesks are crying out for extra, original copy, and staff are working over their shifts. We cannot tolerate any further job losses.”