Oct 27, 2026 · up to 35 roles
Not linked to AIMediahuis Belgium, the publisher of De Standaard and Het Nieuwsblad, announced its intention to make collective redundancies under a transformation plan that could cut the equivalent of 29 full-time jobs and affect at most 35 of its 853 employees; it did not say which teams, and talks with the unions have begun.
The reason Mediahuis Belgium gave
"De distributiekosten namen de voorbije drie jaar met ongeveer 25 miljoen euro toe, ondanks het dalende printvolume. Ook de loonkosten stegen in vijf jaar tijd met ongeveer 30 procent." ... "Om ook op langere termijn financieel gezond te blijven en ruimte te behouden voor investeringen, acht Mediahuis België structurele maatregelen noodzakelijk" (Distribution costs rose by about 25 million euros over the past three years, despite falling print volumes. Wage costs also rose by about 30 percent in five years. ... To stay financially healthy in the longer term too, and keep room for investment, Mediahuis Belgium considers structural measures necessary.)Mediahuis Belgium, in its press release of 27 October 2026, as quoted by VRT NWS
The press release, as VRT NWS, HLN and De Morgen quoted it, does not mention AI, and none of them tied the cut to AI; VRT NWS reported that advertising income is under pressure from competition with international platforms.
Source: VRT NWS: Hogere kosten, lagere advertentie-inkomsten: tot 35 jobs op de tocht bij Mediahuis België. Checked Oct 31, 2026.