Reach plc, the UK's largest news publisher, is cutting approximately 220 editorial jobs and closing three digital outlets: KentLive, AberdeenLive, and GalwayBeo. The company plans to create 60 new roles, resulting in a net reduction of about 160 positions.
The restructuring follows a nearly 40% year-on-year decline in page views as of mid-2026. In the first half of 2026, the publisher reported a 9% drop in overall revenue, with digital revenue falling by more than 11%.
Reach aims to reduce adjusted operating costs by 5-6% for 2026. This follows a 2025 reorganization that resulted in a net reduction of 186 editorial roles.
The company is shifting its strategy away from high-volume, search-optimized content, which has been negatively impacted by AI-generated search summaries and changes to Google's algorithms. Reach is now focusing on video, audio, and digital subscriptions.
