The British daily The Guardian announced on Wednesday that it will cut up to 180 jobs, including 70 journalists, due to the " economic shock " caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
This restructuring " could affect up to 180 positions - 110 in the commercial, advertising and marketing departments and 70 in the editorial staff, " said the newspaper on the left on its website.
According to editor-in-chief Katharine Viner and Annette Thomas, managing director of the Guardian Media Group, the newspaper's publisher, the pandemic has resulted in " unsustainable financial prospects " which should translate into more than $ 25 million in lower sales pounds (27.6 million euros) forecast. In the 2019-2020 fiscal year ended in March, the Guardian posted sales of £ 223 million.
Unlike many competitors, The Guardian has not adopted a paid business model for its website, leaving all of its content for free viewing. He nevertheless suggests to his readers to support him financially. The newspaper counted at the end of March 821,000 monthly contributors, up 25% over a year, to which are added one-off donations.
" Despite the pressure that the coronavirus has exerted on our business, our unique model of relationship with readers has proven itself, " said Katharine Viner and Annette Thomas, adding that the pandemic would not jeopardize this strategy.
BBC job cuts
The Guardian is the latest media to embark on restructuring due to the pandemic, which has resulted in a drop in physical sales and advertising revenue.
On July 7, the British press group Reach, owner of the tabloids Daily Mirror and Daily Express, announced the reduction of 12% of its workforce, or about 550 jobs.
Already engaged in a plan to make 800 million pounds of savings (886 million euros), the BBC had indicated as of June must realize 125 million pounds (140 million euros) of additional savings in because of the health crisis. She confirmed the plan on Wednesday and announced that 70 additional posts would be cut due to " the deterioration of her financial situation ". These 520 job cuts are in addition to the 600 others that the public audiovisual group had announced in early July in its regional offices.
