Philippine Daily Inquirer consolidates operations under sister company

The Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) has entered into an agreement with its sister company, Inquirer Interactive, Inc., for it to assume the publication of the newspaper effective 1 July this year. Inquirer Interactive, Inc. also manages the Inquirer.net website. 

The PDI is a leading national newspaper in the Philippines and is widely regarded as the country's most credible and influential newspaper, with over a million daily readers nationwide.

In a statement on Friday (2 May), PDI said its board of directors had determined that the shift is the "best strategy to ensure that the INQUIRER remains the leading source of news and content" for Filipinos around the world. 

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Additionally, PDI stated that the move would reinforce the INQUIRER's legacy and create new opportunities to engage Filipinos regardless of their reading habits. By leveraging the combined reach of the newspaper's subscriber base and monthly page visits of Inquirer.net, the INQUIRER would aim to expand its ability to connect to audiences across various media platforms. 

"With the integration of print and digital operations, the INQUIRER's financial foundation would be strengthened and its ability to deliver news in traditional and digital platforms enhanced," added PDI. 

To support this transformation, several members of PDI's editorial team have been invited by Inquirer Interactive to join it in managing its multimedia platform. According to PDI, the members have expressed their commitment to maintain newsroom operations and uphold editorial standards. 

PDI also noted that all affected employees will receive severance or separation benefits that may be due under the law or the collective bargaining agreement with the PDI Employee Union, as the company wraps up its operations.

"PDI asks its subscribers, readers, partners and the public to continue to place their trust in the INQUIRER as it embarks on this new chapter in its life, steadfast in its resolve to deliver 'balanced news, fearless views,' and to serve Filipinos now and the generations to come," PDI said. 

PDI’s move comes amid a wave of media consolidations both globally and in the region. Just last month, Yahoo sold TechCrunch to investment firm Regent. Regent has been actively expanding its tech news portfolio, including acquiring Foundry, the parent company of PCWorld, Macworld, and CIO.  In a statement, Yahoo reportedly said that the next chapter under Regent can help maintain TechCrunch's influence and support its continued growth.

In addition, CNN Philippines unveiled the shutdown of its news and production operations across all platforms in January last year, following years of financial losses despite efforts to pivot in an increasingly digital-first media landscape.

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