Up to 100 journalists are out of work today after the country’s major news outlets announced they would be closing their Jarryd Hayne divisions.
Both News Corp and Fairfax have laid off staff, following the ex-NRL star’s decision to abandon his dream of playing in the NFL.
A spokesperson for News Corp – which runs the news.com.au website – said the extensive coverage of Jarryd Hayne’s training, eating and sleeping schedule would no longer be required. “We had fifty journos in that division, providing feature articles, up-to-the-minute insights, and longer-form think pieces. Sadly, they’ll have to leave us. It’s a sign of the times,” he said.
Fairfax says they will keep a skeleton staff to cover the fallout from Hayne’s announcement. Insiders say some journalists may be able to pick up work with The Guardian, writing essays on how our obsession with Jarryd Hayne is typical of a celebrity-obsessed media. But for most, it will be the end of the line.
Follow The Shovel on Facebook & Twitter & Instagram, or subscribe for emails below.
