• by Ray Schultz , November 8, 2023

The wave of news layoffs seen in the U.S. is mirrored in the UK where Reach, publisher of the Mirror and Express, is cutting staff by about 450 jobs, 300 of them belonging to journalists, leading to a change in operations. Some are positions that will not be filled.    

This is due to a decline in ad revenues and demand, but also to the decision by Meta to reduce news on Facebook, Financial Times reports. 

The company blamed the elimination of Instant Articles and Facebook News by Meta as leading to a sharp decline in digital readership, Financial Times continues. 

Reach reportedly is the largest commercial news publisher in the UK. 

“Today’s announcement comes as yet another blow to Reach journalists who have adapted at pace to company demands,” says Laura Davison, national organizer for the National Union of Journalists, according to Financial Times. “Members will be understandably shocked at the scale of redundancies, particularly with previous rounds already withstood in recent months and in the run-up to Christmas.”