Jobs slashed at Livres Hebdo, as French trade weekly goes digital-only

French book trade publication Livres Hebdo is to undergo a restructure, shifting the balance of its print and digital offering, and cutting editorial staff roles. The new structure will see the weekly Livres Hebdo magazine become 100% digital and will involve "the abolition of several editorial posts and the increase in contributions entrusted to outside expert journalists", owner Electre SA said.

Electre said the publication's restructure - made "in order to adapt to changes in customer demand and restore its economic balance" - would be effective by the end of August 2020.

Fabrice Piault will remain as editor-in-chief. But according to staff, who have launched a public petition to the company's director on site change.org, seven out of 14 editorial posts will be scrapped, including four of six editors, two editorial secretaries and a proofreader, with the decision to be implemented in February.

Electre said that as part of the new structure, the bookshebdo.fr site will be updated, with the gradual introduction of new services, including an online professional directory, job site and self-published author resource, and new email newsletters. A new monthly publication, LH Le Mag, will be produced in print and digital editions, offering surveys, economic analysis, interviews, profiles and previews; and there will also be special focus issues on the main events in the book year, such as 'back to university' and the annual 'rentree litteraire'.

But on change.org, staff protested against the project, saying while the shift of Livres Hebdo to digital-only was not in itself a problem, the staff cutbacks are. "By getting rid of its journalists on the grounds that they are 'too qualified to integrate the new formula of the newspaper', the management clearly makes the choice of the information at a discount," the petition reads. "For example, there will no longer be editors dedicated to the bookstore and libraries within the editorial staff. Only two posts of permanent journalists will be maintained, to which will be added two students on professionalization contracts. Will book professionals want to buy a newspaper produced under these conditions, where the only motivation is to produce at a lower cost to the detriment of the quality of the supply provided?"

The petition warns: "It is to be feared that this project is only the first step in the dismantling of Livres Hebdo, whose economic viability will not be strengthened in any way, quite the contrary. This is a destruction of the value of the... brand that the shareholder should be concerned about." Staff called on book professionals to sign the petition "to defend your right to reliable and quality information".

Over 500 signatures have been added to the petition thus far.