The pressure on the media sector was highlighted yesterday as Johnston Press announced plans to centralise subbing and cut 49 jobs.

The group’s Midlands division plans to create three “centralised sub-editing operations” in Northampton, Peterborough, and Milton Keynes.

Sub-editing in Leamington, Banbury, Rugby and Daventry would move to Northampton; sub-editing at Lincolnshire Newspapers and Anglia Newspapers would move to Peterborough; and sub-editing at Buckingham, Aylesbury and Hemel Hempstead would move to Milton Keynes.

A Johnston Press statement said: “In the event that the proposals go ahead, we anticipate there will be up to 49 potential redundancies which we will endeavour to minimise through voluntary severance and redeployment.”

Johnston Press Midlands managing director Nick Mills said: “Our objective is always to ensure that our newspapers and websites remain at the heart of their communities. The proposed changes will ensure the efficient continued delivery of high quality, local content across our many news delivery channels.”

The company reported debt of £450million. In December, along with Newsquest and Trinity Mirror, owner of the Birmingham Post, it announced a group-wide pay freeze.