Mail MD quizzed by MPs.

LOCAL MPs met a senior manager from Birmingham Mail and Birmingham Post publisher BPM Media to discuss reorganisations taking place at both titles.

John Griffith, BPM's managing director, visited Westminster following MPs' concerns that major changes to the newspapers were happening too quickly. A House of Commons motion urging BPM Media owners Trinity Mirror to reconsider its plans has been signed by 19 MPs.

The motion, sponsored by Northfield's Labour MP Richard Burden said: "This House expresses opposition to Trinity Mirror's plans to reorganise the Birmingham Post and Birmingham Mail in a way that will cut over 80 jobs and leave a city of over a million people without a live daily newspaper."

Trinity Mirror says the changes were needed to ensure both papers continued to be successful, and that they followed a detailed review to address a forecast pounds 6 million loss facing the Midlands business in 2010.

The Birmingham Mail is to move to overnight production early in the New Year, selling from 7am, which Trinity Mirror says will give readers and advertisers an unbeatable local news and advertising service. The Birmingham Post becomes an in-depth weekly title from November 12, with the last daily edition printing tomorrow.

Both titles will also continue developing as online brands.

Mr Griffith said: "I welcomed the chance to meet with MPs to talk about the current situation the business is in, and our future plans."

Mr Burden said: "It's good that Mr Griffith came to speak to us, enabling us to understand the commerical realities.

"Personally, I still seriously question whether moving the Mail to an overnight format will arrest the declines he's talked about. I think they've got time to reconsider the Mail changes and hope they do."

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