“How the hell Stuff is going to manage with even less people on the daily roster, I don’t know.
“Journalists are burnt out now. On weekends some are doing half their shift alone and covering an entire country.”
Stuff has been approached for a response.
Feedback? News tip? More information? Please email in confidence shayne.currie@nzme.co.nz
Media Insider revealed yesterday that some Stuff Digital journalists have been called to a nationwide meeting on Wednesday afternoon in which proposed changes are to be outlined, according to an invitation marked confidential.
Members of Stuff Digital’s live and commissioning teams have been called to the meeting, with some staff fearing the worst: potential cutbacks amid continuing challenging times for the media industry.
Today’s meeting also involves the E tū union, which represents some of the journalists, and the invitation is couched in HR language.
Meeting rooms have been booked in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, and staff also have the option of dialling in online. It is not clear how many staff have been invited in total.
“At the meeting we will provide you with information and details on what is being proposed and why,” says the invitation, from people business partner Laura Trethewey.
Trethewey, Stuff Digital editor-in-chief Keith Lynch and E tū union rep Fiona Winslade are listed as attendees, along with “relevant staff by invite”.
“After the meeting you will receive documentation outlining the proposed changes for your consideration,” says the invitation.
“We will then commence a period of consultation with you, where you will be able to ask questions, provide feedback and seek advice, before any decisions are made.”
Staff would be welcome to ask questions at the meeting, or simply listen and take information away with them to consider.
“To be clear: no decisions have been made. The purpose of this meeting is only to present a proposal for your consideration and feedback, and we will not make any decisions until we have consulted with affected staff and carefully considered all feedback.”
It is understood E tū does not yet know what is being proposed: it said it could not comment at this stage.
Stuff owner and chief executive Sinead Boucher. Photo / Michael Craig
Stuff Digital is co-owned by Stuff chief executive Sinead Boucher and Trade Me, after the online marketplace acquired 50% of the business last year.
Stuff Masthead Publishing, which owns titles such as The Post, The Press and the Sunday Star-Times, is a separate firm that is still 100% owned by Boucher.
Stuff, NZME, and TVNZ have all reduced staff numbers in recent years while an entire newsroom, Newshub, was closed.
Tuesday’s invitation said staff were welcome to bring a support person to Wednesday’s meeting “and any subsequent meetings held in relation to this process”.
“If you are a union member you are welcome to reach out to your union rep for support as needed.”
The invitation said that the company understood change proposals “can be unsettling” and confidential support was available 24/7.
Boucher bought Stuff from Australia’s Nine Entertainment for a nominal $1 six years ago and spoke at the time of her intention to establish a staff share scheme.
That evolved, in 2021, to the establishment of a staff trust, controlled by employee representatives. The trust would own a 10% stake in the company, and the trust representatives would be selected by workers.
Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand’s most experienced senior journalists and media leaders. He has held executive and senior editorial roles at NZME including Managing Editor, NZ Herald Editor and Herald on Sunday Editor and has a small shareholding in NZME.