Johnston Press editor made redundant amid strike dispute

The editor of the South Yorkshire Times, who joined his editorial staff in an indefinite strike against cuts at Johnston Press, has been made redundant

Jim Oldfield told Journalism.co.uk he received a letter on Monday informing him of the decision.

Oldfield, who will appeal against his redundancy, won praise from the National Union of Journalists last month after taking the decision to report editorial job cuts on the front page of the South Yorkshire Times.

According to Oldfield, production of the paper was temporarily halted by management and some "minor amendments" were made to the front-page story.

"When I had time to catch my breath later, I checked out the company's Editors' Handbook in which CEO John Fry says 'editors must be free to edit without management interference'."

We simply cannot have newspapers edited by anyone other than their own editorJim Oldfield, former editor South Yorkshire Times

"We simply cannot have newspapers edited by anyone other than their own editor, who alone bears legal responsibility," he added.

Oldfield says he is in the process of appealing a grievance in relation to the alleged attempt to make changes to the story. According to the former editor, a verdict over his original grievance found the events did not contravene editorial policy.

He is demanding that his appeal be heard by John Fry, chief executive of Johnston Press.

"If I do not see something approaching a serious, transparent investigation of this matter on appeal I intend to take it on the rounds – from the PCC to the Newspaper Society, the Society of Editors etc.

"I have spent 37 years trying to uphold the standards and freedom of the press and I am sick of seeing both sold away for a fistful of dollars".

Journalism.co.uk reported yesterday that Oldfield has launched a campaign calling on the culture, media and sport select committee to look into the ownership of the regional press.

"I am now calling for every regional journalist and activist to target their local MP over the parliamentary recess, to press for the fullest regional/local press inquiry – either to run alongside the Murdoch investigation, or separately.

"This probe should look at the way the big companies have used relaxed competition laws to buy up hundreds of titles and ruthlessly asset-strip their staffs, and thus our profession, with nothing more than profit in mind."

The South Yorkshire Times is one of several Johnston Press titles in the region facing cutbacks. Alongside staff from the Times, journalists from the Doncaster Free Press, Epsworth Bells Times, Goole Courier and Selby Times are striking in protest against the cuts.

Johnston Press declined to comment.

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