Some of the country’s best known journalists are to leave the New Zealand Herald as it restructures and joins its newsroom with that of Newstalk ZB.
Some may continue on as freelancers but their fulltime jobs will be eliminated.
Its proprietor, NZME, is believed to be reducing total company by staff by around 100 by the end of the year and of that reduction at least 16 will be New Zealand Herald journalists.
Among those known by POLITIK to have resigned or having their jobs scrapped are:
- Brian Fallow, Economics Editor, (He has already resigned)
- Greg Dixon (Deputy Editor, “Canvas” magazine
- Alan Perrott, (writer, Canvas)
- John Drinnan (Media columnist, may continue as freelancer)
- Brian Rudman’s (Columnist, may continue as a freelancer)
- Michele Hewitson
- Kevin Hart (Editorial writer)
- Geoff Cumming (Review writer)
- Linda Herrick (Arts and Books Editor)
POLITIK understands that all up probably 18 editorial staff will leave the paper and two junior reporters may be recruited. That amounts to a net loss of about 10% of the total editorial staff.
Understandably there is some bitterness in the air at the paper’s Auckland office.
Alan Perrott wrote a memo to all staff after he left saying he was ‘heartbroken’ and angry about his role and the effect on others who will stay on.
He said he would be on the ‘big shiny bus and others would join him over the next month.
That was a reference to a recent comment by NZME CEO Jane Hastings who said that for the 50% of company staff who didn’t support the direction she was taking the company, “there was a ‘big shiny bus out on Albert St waiting to take them wherever they wanted to go.”
