NUJ Brighton & Mid-Sussex branch: Argus cuts edition -
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Last Visited: 7/14/2007
As a result, nine van drivers will have their contracts terminated, although Martyn Willis, the managing director of the paper, insisted the move was not a job-cutting measure and no full-time positions will be lost.
About 50% of the news coverage will be different in each version, which will run with the same advertising, according to Mr Willis, who said it will allow more in-depth coverage of specific interest to both city dwellers as well as readers further afield.
Despite unrest among some staff at the paper about the possibility of redundancies and the effect the change will have, Mr Willis said its National Union of Journalists representatives were "supportive" of the move.
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We'll make sure we retain the staff drivers, [who number 25 of the 34 currently employed]," Mr Willis said.
The Argus, part of newspaper publisher Newsquest, which is owned by US giant Gannet, relaunched a year ago.
But Mr Willis said the relaunch had not increased the circulation - which stands at 38,361 - and reader research suggested that the paper was too narrowly focused.