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Crikey is reporting that The Age has all but sacked casual staff in a move that has raised the ire of some inside the organisation. There are fears that this is yet another step in the erosion of editorial quality at Fairfax.
Casual online staff at the flagship Melbourne publication have had their shifts reduced to nothing, but will be 'kept on the books' in case times get better.
The news was allegedly broken to staff in an email from The news was allegedly broken to staff in an email from the editor in chief of online at Fairfax Media, Mike van Niekerk:
Colleagues Yesterday, I informed everyone in the online team that due to a budget in line with conditions expected in the next financial year we have cut back on casual shifts. I wanted to let you all know that we will keep our casual producers on the books and at the earliest opportunity when the situation changes we hope to find them available work. Mike
SMH.com.au has dipped below news.com.au as Australia's most
popular second most popular news portal behind ninemsn. (Source: Hitwise)
Fairfax has been struggling in recent weeks with the merger of the SMH and Age Canberra bureaus, reports of more intrusive advertising and a recent Hitwise report (below) showing the smh.com.au dipping below news.com.au as Australia's most popular news portal.
With the share price only worth a fifth of the highs of 2007, and lots of debt from a buyout of Southern Cross Radio, Fairfax looks to be in real trouble.
