The Observer’s Guardian Era Comes to an End Amidst Staff Anger and Redundancies
The final edition of The Observer published by The Guardian has rolled off the presses, marking the end of an era for the Sunday paper. The transfer of The Observer to Tortoise Media, a digital start-up, has been met with widespread criticism and anger from staff, who have expressed concerns over the "terrible decision" to sell the title. According to a report by inews.co.uk, staff at The Guardian and The Observer gathered at the media group’s Kings Cross HQ on Thursday to bid farewell to their departing colleagues in emotional scenes.
As reported by inews.co.uk, several high-profile writers, including comedian Stewart Lee, chief leader writer Sonia Sodha, and campaigning journalist Carole Cadwalladr, signed off in the final edition, announcing that their regular columns would no longer appear in the paper. The departures follow three rounds of voluntary redundancies, with around half of the 70 current Observer staff taking redundancy rather than join Tortoise Media. Six writers have accepted new roles at The Guardian, which has left many staff members concerned about the future of the paper.
The sale of The Observer to Tortoise Media has been met with fierce opposition from staff, who have accused the Guardian Media Group (GMG) of "cultural vandalism." One senior editorial figure described the sale as "cultural vandalism" in an impromptu speech, highlighting the anger and frustration felt by many staff members. Inews.co.uk reported that Kath Viner, Guardian editor-in-chief, remains in the crosshairs of staff who believe she has betrayed a commitment to maintain The Observer as part of the group.
The GMG has agreed to invest £5m in Tortoise Media and will retain a 9 per cent stake in the new merged business. However, many staff members have expressed concerns that the sale will lead to a loss of editorial independence and a shift in the paper’s tone and focus. Tortoise Media, primarily known for its investigative podcasts, plans to launch a new Observer.co.uk website and develop a paywall subscription offering for the title. James Harding, founder of Tortoise Media and former editor of The Times, has promised that The Observer will continue to be a champion for "liberal values" and remain editorially independent.
As inews.co.uk reported, the team which produced the Observer’s New Review culture section is not transferring to Tortoise, which has poached New Statesman acting editor Tom Gatti to be the paper’s new Literary Editor. Harding has pledged to invest £25m in the title and believes that The Observer can make back the planned investment in five years. However, Tortoise has reported cumulative losses of £20m since its inception in 2018, raising concerns about its financial stability.
Viner has acknowledged "how unsettling this period has been for Observer staff" but said she was confident that the sale was the "best possible way forward for the title’s journalists, its readers and the future of both The Observer and The Guardian." The GMG said the sale would allow The Observer to build its own digital presence and leave The Guardian more resources for its plans to expand globally and across new media channels. As inews.co.uk reported, the future of The Observer remains uncertain, with many staff members fearing for the paper’s editorial independence and long-term viability.
The changes at The Observer have sparked concerns about the future of journalism and the role of media in society. As The Observer begins a new chapter under Tortoise Media, many will be watching closely to see how the paper evolves and whether it can maintain its commitment to quality journalism and editorial independence. According to inews.co.uk, the sale of The Observer has raised questions about the future of journalism and the challenges facing the media industry in the digital age.
