Media group Reach is closing the Aberdeen Live and Kent Live online news services in the latest wave of job losses across the group.
The publisher of the Daily Record and Scottish Daily Express is cutting about 220 editorial jobs and creating 60 roles as it shifts its focus from page views and volume.
Chief content officer David Higgerson told staff in a memo: “The roles being created are ones which are needed to drive digital revenue growth, particularly in subscriptions and in longer-form video, and enhance brand reputation through well-read journalism which creates loyalty.”
Kent Live launched in 2016, while Aberdeen Live and Galway Beo, which is also closing, launched in 2021, .
Mr Higgerson said: “This is not a reflection of the work done on these titles, or the commitment of the journalists on them. The decision is based on our market position in these areas.
“In almost every market we operate in, locally, we are the dominant publisher, even after the page view declines we have seen this year.
“This is not the case in these three markets, which is why we are taking the decision to exit them, while focusing efforts on the markets where we make the greatest impact.”
Trade publication Press Gazette notes that the proposals follow the announcement from chief executive Piers North in July that Reach’s “future will be less about volume and more about original content, distinctive brands and securing better returns”.
He told staff: “We are in the middle of a mammoth shift in how audiences want content and journalism. To ensure a sustainable future for our journalism, we must focus our investment in the areas where our audiences spend the most time and where our revenue reflects the value of our work.
He pointed to referral declines from Google and the arrival of AI Overviews, but also criticised the BBC’s moves into online local news.
“Locally, we continue to be challenged by an expansionist BBC, whose local output mirrors what is already being created by publishers, by us, up to 70% of the time,” he said.
Since the end of last year Reach has begun to shift towards a digital subscriptions strategy that sees people paying for extra “premium” content and fewer advertising. The publisher now has more than 50,000 paying subscribers across 22 titles.
The plan follows a net reduction of up to 186 editorial roles in late 2025. Press Gazette states that in 2022 Reach had 4,658 staff of which 3,369 were defined as production and editorial. At the end of last year that total had fallen to 3,423 of which 2,494 were production and editorial – a reduction of 1,235 jobs.
Scottish Green North East MSP Maggie Chapman said: “The closure of Aberdeen Live is a devastating blow to Scotland’s media landscape and will cause serious concerns for workers, their families, and the local community.
“Following the closure of STV North, it is crucial that local communities in the North East have reliable news sources at a regional level at a time when misinformation is running rampant.
“Our solidarity is with the journalists and staff at Aberdeen Live who will be affected by this announcement.”
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