Wegener newspaper management ‘in chaos’

Chaos, uncertainty and divisions dominate regional newspaper group Wegener at board level, according to a number of the group’s titles at the weekend.


Since former CEO Joop Munsterman left following ‘disagreements over strategy’, editors and directors are refusing to talk to interim boss Truls Velgaard, the papers, including the Eindhovens Dagblad, wrote.
At the same time, the editors are also refusing to discuss matters with the supervisory board, the paper says.
Reforms
On Thursday, the supervisory board called for unity between staff, management and shareholders. ‘Internal divisions… are distracting us from the urgent need to radically reform the company,’ the statement said.
‘If everyone involved in Wegener can agree… than the supervisory board will do its best to realise the financial resources necessary for these reforms.’
A number of the Wegener papers said this is a veiled threat. ‘There is no new policy and Wegener is not taking opportunities offered by the market. That is dangerous,’ works council chairman Jos van Rijsingen said.
Wegener, which publishes the Gelderlander, BN/De Stem and lots of local freesheets, has been hit hard by the downturn in advertising. It was taken over by Mecom in 2007.

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