THREE LOCAL newspapers in the midlands are to close with the loss of 25 jobs after the group that owns them announced yesterday they would cease publication.
The Roscommon Champion, the Longford Newsand the Athlone Voiceare part of the Alpha Newspaper Group, which is owned by former Ulster Unionist MP John Taylor, now Lord Kilclooney.
In a statement, the staff of the Roscommon Championsaid they were "traumatised".
“These are difficult economic times and the staff understood the need to introduce efficiencies. However, no newspaper with foundations stretching back more than 80 years should have been allowed to close its doors.”
The statement said local decision-making “became non-existent” a long time ago as the newspaper’s management and production operations were centralised. “We, the staff, feel this was to the detriment of a newspaper that had stood proud and strong since 1927.”
They said the advent of local competition and the challenges presented by internet-based content “should have prompted a renewed focus in defining a proper business strategy based on advice provided locally on the ground”.
“Unfortunately, as far as the staff here are concerned, it never materialised, and we have now paid the ultimate penalty.”
The staff thanked readers and advertisers who had “remained so loyal” over the years.
The National Union of Journalists said the Alpha Newspaper Group had acted “with indecent haste” in forcing the immediate closure of the papers.
Irish secretary Séamus Dooley, a former editor of the Roscommon Champion, said staff were called to meetings to discuss the "reorganisation" of the newspaper group in the region. Workers had been advised by managing director Jonathan Taylor that the papers would cease production immediately. The union had "strongly protested" at what he said was the "lack of consultation or examination of alternatives to closure".
“It is not too late to save the newspapers, and we would urge Lord Kilclooney and his board to take a step back, even at this stage. We would also urge local politicians to use their influence with Lord Kilclooney at this crucial time.”
A spokesman for the newspaper company said it “very much regretted” the closure of the three titles, which would lead to 25 redundancies. He also said that formal notices were given to each member of staff, and that proper consultation with each member of staff would take place tomorrow.
He said “all three titles were losing money due to collapse in advertising revenue from the downturn in the economy. For some considerable time union members in our Northern titles have been subsidising these three titles.”
Meanwhile, in Ballyshannon, Co Donegal, BWG Foods said it was closing. Three of its 24 staff are to be retained.