Redundancies coming to FOX Sports News

An unspecified number of FOX Sports News staff will face redundancies in the wake of News Limited continuing to transition to its new Eidos Methode editorial system.

It has been reported that the pay TV broadcaster will install TV cameras into News’ newspaper offices around the country.

A statement from News Limited says:

“The acquisition of FOX Sports provides opportunities for its news teams to work closely with News Limited’s stable of sport journalists which includes some of Australia’s best known and most respected writers and commentators.

“As part of this integration, we are continually looking at ways of working smarter and more efficiently. Unfortunately a number of roles at FOX Sports News are impacted.”

News Limited says it is offering a voluntary redundancy program and hopes to redeploy some others within the broader business.

“Those leaving the business will be given their full entitlements and be offered support services.”

“We’re putting in place a new operational model where we can use News Ltd journalists,” said FOX Sports chief executive Patrick Delany.

Encore reports an earlier plan to move sports journos under the FOX Sports umbrella has been shelved.

“They were going to move the sports guys out from Holt Street to Artarmon where the FOX Sports facility is. They were also going to do the same in Melbourne and have HWT Sports move to South Melbourne where FOX Sports is,” a source said.

Gary Burchett was appointed to the new position of Head of Sports News – FOX Sports in May.