Nine Publishing has confirmed 85 redundancies across its five publications including The Australian Financial Review, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and digital-only titles WAtoday and the Brisbane Times.
Mediaweek understands that not all the redundancies were voluntary and not all were across editorial.
A Nine spokesperson told Mediaweek: “As foreshadowed in June, we have been working with our people in reshaping the publishing business to ensure a sustainable future in response to the challenging advertising market and collapse of the Meta deal.
“We have now concluded this process, with around 85 people from our newsrooms, print operations and audience and commercial growth divisions regrettably leaving the business over coming months.
“We will be providing support for all employees transitioning from the business. Every one of these people depart with our gratitude and appreciation for their contributions to Nine’s world-class masthead.”
Culture editor of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age Osman Farqui and former Private Sydney columnist Andrew Hornery are headlining the departures, along with a raft of others across Nine mastheads.
The names include senior Australian Financial Review correspondents Aaron Patrick, Ben Potter and Michael Pelly, the Age’s social affairs editor, Jewel Topsfield, senior writer Royce Millar, as well as the Herald’s chief sports reporter Andrew Webster, senior reporter Helen Pitt, North American correspondent Farrah Tomazin, books editor Jason Steger, Indigenous Affairs editor Jack Latimore, commercial property editor Carolyn Cummins and cartoonist John Shakespeare.
Hornery took to Instagram to comment on his redundancy, writing: “Before you read it elsewhere hear it from the source.
“After 29 years with [Sydney Morning Herald] I have put my hand up for voluntary redundancy and leave on August 30.
“I will always love the Herald, it’s been a wonderful privilege to have been a part of its enduring legacy and I look at my tenure with great pride and satisfaction. However, the financial opportunity proved irresistible and I believe the time is right for me to venture into the great unknown.”
The redundancies come as journalists in Nine’s publishing division, following a five-day strike on the 2024 Paris Olympics opening weekend, accepted an in-principle enterprise bargaining agreement offer from Nine management.
Journalists will receive a pay rise of 11.5% over three years, broken into 4%, 3.75%, and 3.75% lifts each year. This is an improvement on the rejected offer that triggered the strike action, which was reportedly 3.5% per year.
The offer also met key demands the union MEAA made, around the ethical use of artificial intelligence, a commitment to report on diversity in the workplace, and an agreement to negotiate for a fair deal for freelancers.
As part of Nine’s previously reported principles for AI use, the company is due to deliver a formal AI strategy in FY25.
See also: ‘We start and end with humans’: Nine reveals its principles for AI use
There has been no word on the union’s calls for CEO Mike Sneesby and his executive team to forego their bonuses this year and next year instead of cutting 70-90 jobs.