UK-based News International announced it will cut about 65 jobs across its four national titles, the Sunday Times, the Times, Sun and News of the World, Media Guardian reported Wednesday. The publisher also plans to reduce the amount it pays some news agencies.

"We have identified areas where we can improve efficiency and speed up the production of our titles and Web sites. This will allow us to strengthen editorial by reinvesting savings into our title," James Murdoch, News Corporation's chairman and chief executive of Europe and Asia, told staff.

Last week News International's parent company, News Corporation, reported a $6.4 billion (£4.37 billion) loss for the final three months of 2008, Media Guardian reported.

The changes at News International follow recommendations from the Boston Consulting Group that undertook a review of the publisher's operations last year.

The Sunday Times will reduce the head count of its journalists from 280 to about 260. Ad hoc freelance commissions will be cut by 10 percent and departmental expense budgets have been cut by 20 percent, according to Media Guardian. At the Times, 15 jobs will be cut, as will the number of casual production shifts. The production staff will produce both print and Web pages and the newspaper's print and online picture desks will also be merged.

Besides a 15 editorial job cuts, News of the World plans to train back-bench and middle-bench production staff to design pages, while all design staff will be trained to use Photoshop.

At the Sun, the editorial staff will be reduced by 3 percent, or 15 people. News and features subbing will be merged and sports copy editors will be taught Web production. All departments will be fully integrated with online along with an overhaul of page design ad creation.