Observer saved for now.
But what of future?
HUNDREDS of people packed a Stand Up for The Observer public meeting in London to celebrate the world’s oldest Sunday newspaper, which had been threatened with closure.
The event — which included celebrity appearances — was the culmination of a vigorous public campaign headed by the union in response to leaks from managers of the title’s owner, Guardian Media Group, that the “Obs” might be sacrificed as an independent title to save money.
NUJ officials pledged to hold ballots for industrial action if any union members are threatened with compulsory redundancy as a result of cutbacks at The Observer or its sister title The Guardian.
The company announced that the venerable title would be saved just four days before the public meeting, though it also said it was planning further job cuts.
Comedian David Mitchell, who chaired the event, said a campaign was still needed. “The key issue is whether the Observer retains its proper levels of funding and editorial content,” he said.
“If the Observer becomes a glorified Guardian on Sunday that might make the Guardian’s voice slightly louder, but it will deprive the liberal media of an entire other voice. I say two voices are better than one.”
The joint father of the newly merged Guardian and Observer chapel, Brian Williams, said: “Most of us who work on the paper consider ourselves liberal. But we are not liberal when it comes to compulsory redundancies, and any notice of these will trigger an automatic ballot for industrial action.”
And Mike Pike, Father of the Guardian News and Media Unite chapel that represents non-journalists, said the first battle had been won, “but not the war”.
Famous faces in the audience included journalists Henry Porter, John Humphrys and Francis Wheen and actor Simon Callow.
Now the union has asked for reassurances over jobs. General Secretary Jeremy Dear said: “We welcome the commitment to retain the Observer as a distinctive title but we want to see plans which give the paper the resources it needs for a viable future.”