Daily Star axes a third of staff

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The Daily Star is to lay off about 46 editorial staff and change its editor in an attempt to restore its economic viability.

The newspaper which employs 151 editorial staff made an announcement to employees yesterday that consultations with the unions on job losses are to begin immediately.

Express Newspapers, which owns the paper, has confirmed that no ad sales jobs will be lost.

Editor Phil Walker has resigned to make way for his deputy editor Peter Hill to take the helm.

According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, the Daily Star’s average net circulation for the period April 1998 to September was 569,873, down 11.61 per cent on the same period last year.

Nicholas Rudd-Jones, managing director of Express Newspapers, says: “We remain totally committed to the Daily Star but current market conditions force us to take action to ensure a more secure future for the paper.

“This is an exercise to increase investment in our newspapers and 3m will be invested back into editorial and marketing initiatives.”

Walker has been editor of the newspaper for five years and oversaw an introduction of new machinery in May 1997, which was due to result in about 45 editorial job losses. At the same time, Express Newspapers also said it would embark on a major investment programme of 3m for the Daily Star.

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