Postmedia employees spent $100,000 on U.S. and international roaming charges since September
Even as Postmedia engages in cost cutting measures to make up for advertising revenue shortfall, its employees incurred U.S. and international roaming charges in excess of $100,000, with some individual users racking up bills of $10,000.
By Tamara Baluja
If you’re going to travel with the company phone on a personal trip, turn off the data, Postmedia told its employees in a stern memo.
Even as Postmedia engages in cost cutting measures to make up for advertising revenue shortfall, its employees incurred U.S. and international roaming charges in excess of $100,000, with some individual users racking up bills of $10,000.
“If you choose to take a Postmedia mobile device outside of Canada, without prior business approval to do so and without first checking with your local administrator, you will be responsible for any and all charges to that device,” Postmedia senior vice president of shared services Lorna McLeod said.
“Any staff member who has been entrusted with a mobile device for business purposes must check with their local administrator prior to taking the device out of Canada,” McLeod continued, “If you are required to use your mobile device for business purposes outside of Canada, Postmedia will recommend and fund the appropriate roaming package.”
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- Read the Postmedia memo on roaming charges here
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Postmedia’s revenue dropped 10 per cent in the second quarter, showing a $14.2-million net loss. "As we look into our crystal ball, we will be a smaller revenue company but as well a much smaller expense or costs company," Postmedia CEO and president Paul Godfrey said at a meeting with investors on April 11.
The company has alreadt brought down its operating expenses by 11.4 per cent, and it is the midst of a three-year program to reduce legacy costs. Postmedia recently underwent a restructuring program, which resulted in the centralization of some production at a Hamilton facility.
Tamara Baluja is an award-winning journalist with CBC Vancouver and the 2018 Michener-Deacon fellow for journalism education. She was the associate editor for J-Source from 2013-2014.