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GMG Manchester Evening News Media

MEN Media to cut more than half Channel M's staff

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By The Drum Team, Editorial

April 28, 2009 | 2 min read

MEN Media plans to cut 41 of the 74 full time jobs at its Manchester television station Channel M as it fights against 'significant losses'.

The news comes a month after MEN Media announced up to 150 jobs would be axed at its newspapers in the north west, including the Manchester Evening News.

Staff at Channel M were told yesterday that cuts would have to be made at the loss-making station.

MEN Media wants the redundancies to come from volunteers but has not ruled out compulsory cuts if staff do not come forward.

From June, the station will also pare back its live coverage to one daily evening magazine show, with the remainder of its schedule featuring pre-recorded content.

Mark Dodson, the chief executive of Channel M, described the redundancies as "deeply regrettable but, in the current climate and in the context of wider changes in our industry, they are unavoidable."

In a statement, MEN Media said Channel M's revenues have been severely affected in recent months, "and it is now making significant losses".

The channel was awarded a Freeview licence earlier this year and the cuts have not affected its plans to broadcast on the service from November.

GMG Manchester Evening News Media

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