Stuff journalists who were in contact with the Herald yesterday were concerned that the company was about to announce job losses and cutbacks – those fears were confirmed today.
Stuff plans to cut a net eight roles from specific newsroom teams in its Stuff Digital business, as part of a range of proposals across several teams. In total, 17 roles are set to be disestablished, with nine roles available (including two existing vacancies).
In an email to Stuff staff on Wednesday evening, Stuff chief executive Sinead Boucher said: “As you may have seen speculated about today, this afternoon we began consultation with some of our Stuff Digital editorial team on a simplified structure which, if it proceeds, may result in a maximum net reduction of eight staff.”
She said the proposal also included plans to invest in production, the company’s Indepth journalism team and in specialist content areas.
“We did not comment on the rumours earlier today as – out of respect for those involved – we always want to speak to our people first.
“I know that the reporting from our competitors may, however, have unsettled a wider group of people unnecessarily.
“Businesses must always evolve to meet the needs of their customers and for the future. As we have always done, Stuff Group will continue to reshape the business, invest in new roles and new products where that makes sense and this requires change proposals such as today’s.
“That doesn’t make it any easier for the people and managers involved. We ask that you please be sensitive to your colleagues if they are part of this proposal and give them space if needed.”
Boucher has been approached for further comment.
The job losses are the latest in a series of cutbacks at major New Zealand media firms. Over the past five years, Stuff, NZME, TVNZ and others have all reduced newsroom numbers, as they reshape their business models and in response to challenging economic conditions.
While Stuff is proposing a net loss of up to eight roles, the E tū union gave more specifics.
It said Stuff Digital was proposing to reduce its editorial workforce by 10 roles, from 75 to 65. The proposal would consolidate 19 journalist and reporter roles into 11 positions, reduce six editor roles to three, and remove four platform editor roles, a multimedia content producer role and the chief daily editor role.
E tū director Mat Danaher said in a statement: “Having a properly resourced team of journalists and editors is the best guarantee of accurate, distinctive and high-quality news. Technological change can support that work, but it should not be used to create a false sense of efficiency through staff cuts.
“Fewer journalists and editors inevitably means less capacity to cover stories, scrutinise those in power and produce the journalism New Zealanders rely on.”
Meanwhile, Stuff is under fire from some staff over a press statement that detailed the job losses.
It is understood most of the eight net roles will come out of two newsroom teams totalling about 30 staff. “About a quarter are losing their jobs,” a source said.
In a statement today, Stuff said: “Today, Stuff Digital has begun consultation with some of its editorial team on a simplified structure across our national newsrooms which, if it proceeds, may result in a maximum net reduction of eight staff, from a total Stuff Group editorial headcount of more than 300.”
One Stuff source said: “This is so f***ing misleading.” Another Stuff source backed that up with a similar comment.
Stuff has been approached for further comment.
The 300 number that it cited in its original statement counts staff in the separate Stuff Masthead Publishing company, which is not affected by the proposal, as well as other newsroom teams such as sport, politics and those who produce Three News.
Earlier, a Stuff source questioned why members of Stuff Digital’s Indepth team of journalists – there are understood to be about nine members – were not included in the proposal.
The source said Stuff’s “main” team was “carrying the burden of the website on a day-to-day basis” with limited resources.
They said the Indepth team – which features some of New Zealand’s best-known and respected journalistic names – did good work because they were given weeks to do it.
“How the hell Stuff is going to manage with even less people on the daily roster, I don’t know.
“Journalists are burnt-out now. On weekends some are doing half their shift alone and covering an entire country.”
Stuff has been approached for a response to these specific comments.
Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand’s most experienced senior journalists and media leaders. He has held executive and senior editorial roles at NZME including Managing Editor, NZ Herald Editor and Herald on Sunday Editor and has a small shareholding in NZME.
