The Independent on Sunday and Independent are to merge, and the new seven-day-title will have closer integration with the Evening Standard, reports Press Gazette‘s Dominic Ponsford.
Independent on Sunday editor John Mullin has been made redundant after five years at the title amid plans to merge it with the Monday to Saturday edition.
Further redundancies are in the offing as the Evening Standard and Independent editorial teams are also largely merged.
The cost cuts are needed to curb ongoing losses at The Independent and i, and to allow for investment which is needed for London Live – the Standard’s new TV station – management has said.
Standard proprietors the Lebedevs last week were awarded the local TV licence for London – under the London Live brand – giving them access to Government funding and channel 8 on the Freeview box.
But while existing newspaper editorial staff will be expected to contribute to the new channel – the move will also be accompanied by a reduction in editorial numbers on the newspaper brands.