Brighton's daily newspaper, the Argus, is dropping one of its two timed editions to save money after a relaunch failed to boost sales.
From August 1 the paper will publish once a day, but will print two versions split geographically, with one edition for the city of Brighton and Hove and another for the wider Sussex county.
As a result, nine van drivers will have their contracts terminated, although Martyn Willis, the managing director of the paper, insisted the move was not a job-cutting measure and no full-time positions will be lost.
About 50% of the news coverage will be different in each version, which will run with the same advertising, according to Mr Willis, who said it will allow more in-depth coverage of specific interest to both city dwellers as well as readers further afield.
Despite unrest among some staff at the paper about the possibility of redundancies and the effect the change will have, Mr Willis said its National Union of Journalists representatives were "supportive" of the move.
"I had a meeting with the mother of the chapel and her deputy and they are very supportive. It is a bit of modernisation but they welcome that their time will not be stretched too much over the day.
"We will make some saving in material terms - both editions will be printed at the same time. But there will be no full-time job cuts...This is not a job-cutting exercise.
"There will be some driver implications, but most drivers are freelancers anyway. The way the van fleet will operate is under discussion. What we're looking at is a restructure. We'll make sure we retain the staff drivers, [who number 25 of the 34 currently employed]," Mr Willis said.
The Argus, part of newspaper publisher Newsquest, which is owned by US giant Gannet, relaunched a year ago.
But Mr Willis said the relaunch had not increased the circulation - which stands at 38,361 - and reader research suggested that the paper was too narrowly focused.
The new edition will try to retain younger readers who are attracted to the paper's Friday what's-on guide, This is Brighton, while attempting to win back older readers.
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Brighton's daily newspaper, the Argus, is dropping one of its two timed editions to save money after a relaunch failed to boost sales.
From August 1 the paper will publish once a day, but will print two versions split geographically, with one edition for the city of Brighton and Hove and another for the wider Sussex county.
As a result, nine van drivers will have their contracts terminated, although Martyn Willis, the managing director of the paper, insisted the move was not a job-cutting measure and no full-time positions will be lost.
About 50% of the news coverage will be different in each version, which will run with the same advertising, according to Mr Willis, who said it will allow more in-depth coverage of specific interest to both city dwellers as well as readers further afield.
Despite unrest among some staff at the paper about the possibility of redundancies and the effect the change will have, Mr Willis said its National Union of Journalists representatives were "supportive" of the move.
"I had a meeting with the mother of the chapel and her deputy and they are very supportive. It is a bit of modernisation but they welcome that their time will not be stretched too much over the day.
"We will make some saving in material terms - both editions will be printed at the same time. But there will be no full-time job cuts...This is not a job-cutting exercise.
"There will be some driver implications, but most drivers are freelancers anyway. The way the van fleet will operate is under discussion. What we're looking at is a restructure. We'll make sure we retain the staff drivers, [who number 25 of the 34 currently employed]," Mr Willis said.
The Argus, part of newspaper publisher Newsquest, which is owned by US giant Gannet, relaunched a year ago.
But Mr Willis said the relaunch had not increased the circulation - which stands at 38,361 - and reader research suggested that the paper was too narrowly focused.
The new edition will try to retain younger readers who are attracted to the paper's Friday what's-on guide, This is Brighton, while attempting to win back older readers.
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