Personnel negotiations at Alma Media’s Pohjois-Suomen Media business unit finished

Alma Media Corporation   Press release   October 12, 2010 at 14.00 (EEST)

PERSONNEL NEGOTIATIONS AT ALMA MEDIA’S POHJOIS-SUOMEN MEDIA BUSINESS UNIT FINISHED

Pohjois-Suomen Media Oy, part of Alma Media Group, has finished the statutory personnel negotiations that started in August 2010. The negotiations affected all employees and concerned the planned reorganising and rationalising of the operations of Pohjois-Suomen Media Oy. The target for the reorganisation is to improve the competitiveness of the company and its products.

As a result of the negotiations, the number of employees of Pohjois-Suomen Media is reduced by 25.5 man-years. In the beginning of the negotiations it was estimated that the number of employees may be reduced by 27 man-years at the maximum. The reduction impacts 27 persons, of whom 11 were laid off, ten signed an employment termination agreement, five retired and one person resigned. In addition, two fixed-term employment contracts expired.

Pohjois-Suomen Media Oy is Alma Media’s subsidiary that publishes regional, local and town papers in Northern Finland. In 2009, Pohjois-Suomen Media Oy had approximately 230 employees. The company is currently working on a renewal project concerning its three regional newspapers, Lapin Kansa, Pohjolan Sanomat and Kainuun Sanomat. The outcome of the project includes one joint editorial office for the papers, supported by three local offices, one for each title. The aim of the project is to improve the journalistic renewal ability, quality and service both for readers and advertisers.

For further information, please contact:
Matti Ilmivalta, Managing Director, Pohjois-Suomen Media Oy, tel. +358 10 665 7861

Alma Media in brief

Alma Media is a dynamic media company whose best-known products are the Aamulehti, Iltalehti, Kauppalehti and Etuovi.com. Alma Media employs nearly 3,000 professionals. The company’s net sales in 2009 totalled MEUR 307.8 with an operating margin of 13.5 per cent. Alma Media’s share (ALN1V) is listed in the NASDAX OMX Helsinki Exchange. Read more at http://www.almamedia.fi/

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