Centre France to cut 152 jobs, threatening local journalism at La Montagne

Francis Gaunand, the director general of Centre France since December 2025, announced on April 9, 2026, a major social plan resulting in the elimination of 152 jobs across the regional newspaper group. This represents approximately 10% of the workforce for a group that publishes 16 newspapers daily and weekly in 14 departments and 4 regions. At the La Montagne newspaper specifically, 65 jobs will be cut, including 22 journalists out of 165 total employees.

This announcement follows an earlier voluntary departure plan for journalists initiated in 2024, which has already led to 11 journalists leaving and is planned to continue until June 2026.

Laurence Coupérier, a journalist and inter-union representative at La Montagne, expressed grave concerns about the future viability of local news coverage. She stated, “We do not see how we can continue our mission of covering local news with such degraded staff levels.” Such significant reductions have raised worries about the newspaper’s capacity to maintain comprehensive local reporting, an essential service for residents across the regions served.

The impact of this restructuring poses challenges to maintaining the quality and breadth of local journalism that Centre France’s newspapers have historically provided. With fewer journalists and staff, the possibility of reduced newsroom capacity and diminished local news coverage looms large, fueling anxiety among employees and readers alike.

This social plan reflects broader pressures on regional media organizations grappling with financial constraints, prompting difficult decisions about workforce reductions. Centre France’s plans cast a spotlight on the precarious state of local journalism in France as it strives to balance economic realities with its public service mission.