Monday 1 December 2008

Echoes of the Past

We all know that newspapers are having a hard time. It was well and truly brought home to me a couple of days ago when my old paper the Liverpool Echo announcd that 43 editorial jobs are being axed from a total of 173. Many of the journalists affected were there when I was on the Echo in the 1970s and early 1980s. They've devoted a lifetime of service to the paper and its stablemate the Daily Post. The knowledge, experience and affection which they've brought to bear on the papers' coverage of a very special part of the world is incalculable. Those qualities will be impossible to replicate once this cull is over.
I also heard that all the journalists have already been issued with redundancy notices and have been told to re-apply for their own jobs - knowing that 43 will be unsuccessful.
All this follows an equally controversial decision by the paper to move its printing operation out of Old Hall Street to Oldham.
In any other industry, one could expect the local paper to be championing the cause of the unfortunate workers. But who will be campaigning against the Post and Echo management? Who delivers messages for the messenger?

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