Global Radio made more staff redundant Friday morning, we have learned, just three months after its last round of blood-letting. Online operations at regional stations are being restructured with nine web editors told to reapply for two jobs and an unspecified number of total job losses; we understand some people have been asked to reapply for their jobs.
Global won’t tell us how many staff are affected, but we know the losses include office administrators (perhaps from the majority of the company’s 60 stations), about 14 charity managers, marketing staff and more. The company is centralising some functions in London and concentrating other operations at regional centres.
It’s a mark of how bad the advertising market is that we’re seeing successive rounds of layoffs. The former GCap Media has seen several since its acquisition by Global last year. Most recently, the broadcaster laid off around 40 of its 112-strong online and interactive team in January, including five from its 22-strong London unit. It also axed other roles across the company. While fending off Global’s attentions last year, GCap had planned to slim its DAB commitment and use broadband as a key delivery complement to FM. Its iPhone apps are well thought of in the radio industry.
Global’s statement: “Global continues to evolve its structure to suit its new business model. This is in line with our strategy and it is the responsibility of the board to drive efficiencies where possible. This, as well as the current economic climate, means it is appropriate for us to constantly evaluate and adapt our structure to ensure our continued success. Unfortunately, this sometimes means the company has to take some tough decisions.”