Fairfax axes 16 journalists as part of The Weekly Review restructure

Fairfax Media has taken the axe to the editorial team at The Weekly Review in Victoria with 16 journalists to be made redundant next month.

Domain Group head: Antony Catalano

Metro Media Publications will slash reporters and production staff at the nine suburban papers, with production outsourced to AAP Pagemasters, continuing Fairfax’s outsourcing of sub-editing work.

Just one sub editor will remain and The Weekly Review will continue to move towards lifestyle publishing as opposed to local news, supporting the umbrella Domain content strategy.

A spokesperson for Domain confirmed 16 full-time and part-time positions would be affected by the changes.

“Employees who work on The Weekly Review print magazine were last week briefed on plans to use a third-party provider for sub-editing work,” the spokesperson said.

“We are working closely with staff, including those who are directly affected by this change.”

The Weekly Review was launched by former property editor and marketing director of The Age, Anthony Catalano, in 2010.

The suburban competitor had an immediate impact on Fairfax’s Victorian business, attracting millions in real estate advertising in the model that saw real estate agents helping fund the launch.

Fairfax ultimately took a half-stake in the business before completing acquisition in January 2015, while Catalano was placed in the role of CEO at Domain.

Crikey reported that news of the redundancies was delivered to journalists on Friday, in meetings with senior Domain executives.

Simon Canning

Simon Canning was Mumbrella's marketing and advertising editor from 2015-2017. In a career spanning journalism and communications over more than 30 years Simon has become one of Australia’s most respected analysts and commentators on the advertising, marketing and media industries. A regular commentator on radio and TV, Simon has also worked in media in the US and UK .

topics Anthony Catalano Fairfax Media Metro Media Publications The Weekly Review

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Comments: 4

Anonymous 18 Oct 16

Any “independent always” journalists left at Fairfax to tell Catalano/Hywood story?

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Pedant 18 Oct 16

BTW, is Mumbrella’s sub editing being done by Pagemasters too?
Your heading for this article in the email says “The Weekly Times” not the “Weekly Review” as above.

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yolo 18 Oct 16

I didn’t know Fairfax owned “The Weekly Times”…..

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Alex Hayes 18 Oct 16

Hi Yolo,

An unfortunate error carried forward in the newsletter which was amended yesterday.

Cheers,

Alex – editor, Mumbrella

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