Covid-19 has put pressure on SA media companies.
Primedia has become the latest local media company to raise the possibility of jobs cuts from the economic impact Covid-19.
The group includes radio stations 702, KFM and CapeTalk, as well as national news brand EWN. It also has an advertising arm.
In a note to staff on Wednesday, Primedia said that the findings of a internal review indicated that to keep the group “realistically positioned to deliver on its new business strategy”, it must “reconsider the scale of its staffing requirements across some departments”.
“To secure a Primedia that is sustainable and resilient against future challenges, it is critical that we have the courage to take any tough decisions we may need to now. Simply put, this means that as a responsible business, Primedia must investigate the possibility of a staff restructure.”
The media group did not indicate how many staff may be affected.
The announcement comes a day after Media24 announced it would start consultations with staff about the possible closure of its five magazines and two newspapers as well as outsourcing and reducing the frequency of its remaining monthly magazines, among other interventions.
The economic shock of Covid-19 has wreaked havoc on parts of SA’s print industry, contributing to the closure of Association Media Publishing, which includes the magazines Cosmopolitan, Women on Wheels, and House and Leisure. Caxton & CTP Publishers & Printers, meanwhile, announced in early May that it has begun the process of withdrawing from magazine publishing, although Living & Loving and Farmer’s Weekly may be accommodated elsewhere in its stable.
