M&G warns of retrenchments amid restructure
The Mail & Guardian says it has begun its restructuring process to become a “digital first” publication, which could result in retrenchments.
The move will affect operations in the newsroom and commercial departments as it looks towards becoming a converged operation.
The move is to ensure that all parts of the business are working optimally towards a single, profitable business goal, M&G Media chief executive Hoosain Karjieker said on Friday (16 August).
Karjieker noted that the restructuring could result in positions within the organisation being made redundant, which could, in turn, lead to retrenchment.
“Staffing needs were going to be reassessed, and it was envisaged that at least 10 positions could become redundant,” he said.
The company said its “digital first” strategy emphasizes the greater role digital publishing will play in its future, “and recent appointments had been informed by this strategy”.
Karjieker advised that the new structure would be implemented in a manner that would secure the longer term financial viability of the organisation.
M&G Media says it has experienced significant growth in its digital audience over the past few years with a 60% growth in audience for M&G Online, a 2,000% rise in its mobile audience and an 81% growth in its overall publisher audience over the past year alone.
Newly appointed editor-in-chief Chris Roper added that transforming a legacy print business into a digital media business required a total re-engineering of resources and staff.
This necessitated retraining and repurposing of people, as well as a re-evaluation of business goals. “It’s an exciting enterprise for journalism, as well as a necessary one,” Roper said.
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