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Global Mail restructures Australian team and axes overseas journalists

global mail logoPrivately-funded online news site The Global Mail has made its overseas correspondents redundant and axed staff in its Australian office, according to reports.

story in The Australian claims a source said the company had let four local staff go on Friday.

The overseas correspondents, based in New York, the Middle East and Latin America, were informed three weeks ago their roles would cease to exist according to the Middle East correspondent Jess Hill, who announced her redundancy on Twitter today.

Jess Hill

Hill was recovering from brain surgery when she received the news.

The Global Mail was launched with a $15m investment from philanthropist Graeme Wood, guaranteed for the venture for the next five years.

Yesterday it was reported that Wood may have plans to co-fund the Australian version of The Guardian.

At the time it launched, CEO Jane Nicholls said: “We know we are incredibly lucky to be funded purely to do the best journalism we possibly can, with no commercial pressures. Graeme Wood has generously given us our start; it will be up to us to find innovative ways to tap revenue streams to build our future. Especially given the current media climate in this country, we are passionately committed to remaining free of any commercial interests and also of any influence, perceived or otherwise. We will happily let our audience judge us on those terms.”

According to a statement in today’s Australian, Nicholls said “When Graeme Wood made his commitment to philanthropically back the launch of The Global Mail, he made it clear that we would need to identify – and tap – revenue streams in order for his generous gift to live on beyond his commitment of five years of funding.”

No one from the Global Mail had returned Mumbrella’s calls or email at time of writing.

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