GRANTHAM Journal owners Johnston Press is piloting new-look newsrooms at a series of titles in the midlands which could be rolled out across the company.
Under the plan, journalists will no longer work for individual newspapers but will be part of a central unit responsible for several different titles.
The idea is being piloted at the company’s centres in Derbyshire and North Nottinghamshire.
Titles affected include the Derbyshire Times, Matlock Mercury, Mansfield and Ashfield Chad and Worksop Guardian.
The plan, which was announced to staff last week, will see journalists at around 11 weekly newspapers in the region combined into the three teams or ‘units.’
The Derbyshire unit for example, will cover the Derbyshire Times, Matlock Mercury, Buxton Advertiser, Ripley and Heanor News, Belper News, Eastwood and Kimberley Advertiser and Ilkeston Advertiser.
A separate central unit will cover entertainments, community news, ad features and sport working across all the titles in the region.
A Johnston Press spokesman said: “We have launched a pilot project in one area of the north Midlands, led by our editorial teams, which aims to transform the way we gather and disseminate news and information across multiple platforms.
“We are looking at ways of allowing our news teams to focus on specific areas of content and improving our reader experience.”
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