Reach Cuts 220 Jobs as AI Erodes Web Traffic

Reach, the publisher of the Mirror and Express newspapers, is cutting 220 editorial jobs and closing three online-only brands—KentLive, AberdeenLive, and GalwayBeo. The company reports a 46% year-on-year decline in Google referrals, which it attributes to readers using AI-generated summaries and AI Overviews instead of clicking through to publisher websites.

Chief Content Officer David Higgerson stated the company is facing a shift in how audiences consume journalism. He also criticized the BBC, claiming the public broadcaster mirrors local commercial output up to 70% of the time. To adapt, Reach is shifting its primary engagement metric from page views to active engaged time.

While cutting editorial staff, the publisher will create 60 new roles dedicated to long-form video and subscription-based digital revenue. The company aims to grow its paid digital subscriber base to 75,000 by the end of the financial year.