Brief
Axel Springer eyes up to 100 cuts at Telegraph newsroom
The new owner is reviewing proposals that could make between 50 and 100 newsroom staff redundant before Christmas.
By Felo News Desk · Published
The Guardian reports that Axel Springer, which bought the Telegraph Media Group for £575 million earlier this year, is preparing a consultation that could see 50‑100 journalists lose their jobs, possibly before Christmas.
What happened
Sources familiar with the plan say the consultation will propose cutting a “significant proportion” of editorial staff. No redundancies have been announced yet, and the Telegraph Media Group declined comment.
What the reports add
The article notes that the proposed cuts clash with Axel Springer chief executive Mathias Döpfner’s earlier promise to back an investment programme to grow the Telegraph. Döpfner has previously said the paper cannot “cut its way to growth”. Consultants hired by the group have also suggested side projects such as price‑comparison sites and a healthcare offering.
What was said
A source quoted in the report said staff had hoped for “sunny uplands” after three years of being “starved of any form of investment, pay rises or management changes”. The same source added, “The path to growth is not to cut jobs.”
How it came about
The cuts would be the first major intervention since the £575 million purchase, ending a three‑year ownership saga that left the Telegraph without a clear investor. Earlier this year, Döpfner highlighted plans to expand the Telegraph’s US operation, deploying senior editors to develop that market.
Key facts
- Axel Springer is reviewing proposals that could cut 50‑100 Telegraph journalists. (theguardian.com)
- The consultation may be presented before Christmas. (theguardian.com)
- The cuts contradict Mathias Döpfner’s earlier pledge to invest in the Telegraph. (theguardian.com)
- Consultants have suggested side projects like price‑comparison sites and a healthcare offering. (theguardian.com)
- The Telegraph Media Group declined to comment on the plans. (theguardian.com)
Sources
- [1] theguardian.com — originally reported as “Telegraph owner poised to make newsroom job cuts in investment promise U-turn”
