Reach, the publisher behind the Daily Mirror, Express, and various regional titles, is undertaking its largest-ever editorial restructuring, which will result in the loss of over 320 journalism roles.

This move follows a series of extensive redundancies in recent years, including nearly 800 roles cut in 2023, marking a significant decline in the UK newspaper industry.

The current restructuring will affect around 600 editorial positions, with 321 roles set to be made redundant, impacting a substantial portion of Reach's staff, which numbered over 2,320 at the end of last year.

The company is shifting towards a digital and editorial strategy focused on smaller, targeted teams to improve journalistic impact and readership.

Affected staff were informed on September 8, with priority given to internal applicants for new roles, especially in the live news network and video teams.

The new live news network, led by Paul Rowland, aims to streamline content sharing and design through smaller, specialized teams, making journalism more targeted and widely read.

This restructuring will create a smaller, more integrated team across national and regional titles, emphasizing live news, video, and multimedia content.

Reach recently appointed Piers North as CEO, bringing extensive digital media experience, succeeding Jim Mullen, who left to lead The Jockey Club.

The company's chief content officer, David Higgerson, described the overhaul as the biggest reorganization ever, driven by changes in the media landscape that require new operational and storytelling approaches.

Despite the redundancies, Reach plans to create 135 new roles, mainly in its live news and multimedia teams, focusing on expanding digital content and subscriptions.

The National Union of Journalists criticized the redundancies as a 'devastating blow' to staff morale, raising concerns about the potential loss of local reporting and the centralization of news production.

This reorganization is the most significant in Reach's history, surpassing earlier efforts, and aims to enhance digital, video, and audio content, including establishing a new live news network.