- NZME plans to cut 40 roles across NZ Herald, BusinessDesk, and Newstalk ZB.
- The restructure aims to focus on stories that engage audiences and grow subscriptions.
- The changes include fewer stories, new digital investments, and streamlined production.
NZME, the owner of the NZ Herald, BusinessDesk, and Newstalk ZB, has announced plans to cut 38 jobs as part of a significant newsroom restructure. The company outlined its proposal to staff this morning, citing the need to "reorganise and resize" operations to better meet audience demands and improve profitability.
The restructure will result in a net loss of 14 reporting roles and 24 production roles, making it the largest overhaul of the Herald newsroom in a decade. NZME employs around 300 editorial staff across its divisions. According to the proposal, the changes will involve reducing the number of published stories to focus on high-engagement content, particularly for digital subscribers.
To adapt to the shifting media landscape, NZME plans to invest more in video news and utilise new automation technologies to streamline production processes. A new structure will see the formation of 14 specialised desks responsible for areas such as politics, business, lifestyle, sport, and live news. Each desk will set targets for new subscriptions, page views, and video engagement. Production journalists, such as sub-editors and graphic designers, are expected to face the greatest impact from these changes.
NZME has stated that the operational changes should be implemented by mid-March, with production adjustments completed by the end of April. Voluntary redundancies will also be considered. The changes will not affect NZME’s Open Justice programme or regional publications, although the Open Justice team will be reorganised into one of the new desks.
Chief executive Michael Boggs acknowledged the challenges facing the media industry, including declining advertising revenues and increasing pressure to deliver content that generates audience and revenue growth. Despite these issues, NZME continues to see growth in its digital subscriptions, which now form a critical part of its strategy.
The past year has been tough for New Zealand’s media sector, with numerous job losses and the closure of 14 community newspapers by NZME alone. Advertising revenue for traditional media has been shrinking, a trend exacerbated by broader economic struggles.
NZME hopes the restructure will position it for long-term profitability by focusing on digital growth areas, particularly video, and adapting its newsroom to meet changing audience preferences.