Things are looking grim for the Australian news industry. While some media leaders are pinning the blame on Meta for ending its lucrative deals, other factors like a soft advertising market and the international, cross-sector competition for eyeballs are also to blame for falling Australian media revenues and diminishing valuations. Not even growing concern about misinformation or a steadying of the number of Australians who are interested in, consume and pay for news is enough to cushion the blow.
While the Australian News Mapping Project keeps track of the number of news outlets across the country, nowhere is keeping track of how these newsrooms are changing. In 2021, journalist union the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) estimated there were fewer than 10,000 journalists working, down 5,000 from the decade before.
Crikey is assembling a list of reported newsroom job cuts at media companies around the country. This list is a work in progress based on reporting and public statements about present and future tipped job cuts. It is subject to change and will be updated as information becomes available.
Know about upcoming job cuts? You can anonymously tip off Crikey here or Cam Wilson directly here.
News Corp Australia
NEW: “Twenty editorial staff would lose their jobs, said people with direct knowledge of the plans, speaking on condition of anonymity. Ten of the staff would be taking voluntary redundancies. Titles affected include The Courier-Mail, The Daily Telegraph, The Hobart Mercury, Adelaide Advertiser and News Corp’s free news and lifestyle division, which includes the news.com.au website … No regional staff or journalists from The Australian or the Herald Sun will be made redundant.” (Nine papers’ Calum Jaspan, July 10, 2024)
“The restructure is aimed at saving up to $65 million, will likely result in north of 100 redundancies and will leave News Corp with three publishing divisions and a sales unit, elevating key executives and editors while casting others aside.” (Australian Financial Review’s Sam Buckingham-Jones, May 29, 2024)
Nine Entertainment Co
NEW: “Nine-owned Pedestrian Group chief executive Matt Rowley will lead the departures as the organisation slashes up to 40 jobs” (The Sydney Morning Herald, July 8).
Rowley told Crikey in March that the company was continuing to “power on”. Pedestrian will exit its licensing deals with a number of third-party brands, seeing the death in Australia of the likes of Refinery29, Gizmodo, Lifehacker and Kotaku.
Crikey understands an all-staff meeting was called at Pedestrian at 4pm on the Thursday prior to the announcement, with at least one commercial partner blindsided by the decision.
“From our nationwide team of almost 5,000 people, around 200 jobs are expected to be affected across Nine including some vacant and casual roles not being filled.” (Nine CEO Mike Sneesby in an all-staff email on June 28, obtained by Crikey).
“We are looking at reducing the publishing division headcount by between 70 and 90 staff over coming months.” (Nine managing director Tory Maguire in an all-staff Slack message on June 28, obtained by Crikey).
Seven West Media
“The Kerry Stokes-controlled Seven West Media will make up to 150 jobs redundant … The job cuts are not limited to any one division, with journalists from the television and print divisions, sales and marketing staff, as well as some printing staff to be cut.” (Nine papers’ Calum Jaspan, June 24, 2024)
Paramount Global/Network 10
“Paramount Global — the owner of Network 10 — has announced that it will be axing Australian staff in a bid to cut costs.” (The Australian’s Sophie Elsworth, February 14, 2024)
