Charting "Adverse Events" at Newspapers From 2006 to 2009

Wall Street Journal

Click on image for interactive graphic.

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Chicago Tribune Plans Job Cuts, Salary Freeze

The publisher of the financially struggling Chicago Tribune Media Group says the company plans to cut jobs, freeze wages and increase prices for home subscribers to help offset a decline in revenue. [Click for MORE] Sphere: Related Content

2008 Total: 15,554+ Journalism Jobs Lost

Erica Smith, blogger at Paper Cuts and newspaper and multimedia designer at the St Louis Post-Dispatch, has mapped the job losses across the US newspaper industry.

Pins in the Google map are color-coded to show how many jobs lost in each instance and can be clicked for more details.

The total in the first few days of 2009 is 554 and rising, the blog says.

Depressing viewing, but the map gives a good snapshot of the state of the industry.

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The Worst CEO

• Tribune's Ratings Cut After Filing Chapter 11

From the Washington Post

The Tribune internal Q&A website on today’s bankruptcy filing states that "all ongoing severance payments have been discontinued.” So if you’re one of the large number of reporters, editors and other staffers at the L.A. Times, the Chicago Trib or other papers who got sacked and didn’t get your severance in one lump sum, you have a real problem. A sit-down strike, such as that currently being waged in that Chicago door and window factory, seems a fitting and proper response, though you’ll need help from those of your former colleagues still employed to get back into the buildings. [Click for MORE] Sphere: Related Content

Scripps Layoffs in California, Florida, Texas, Indiana

Waiting only two days after their election coverage wrapped up, E.W. Scripps is laying off employees at their newspaper properties in California, Florida, Texas, and Indiana.

Scripps is due to report their third quarter earnings on Friday, and it is rumored that as many as 400 jobs may be cut across the chain.

In Ventura, Calif., 45 people learned today that their jobs were being cut, 17 from the paper's newsroom (about 20 percent of the editorial department). [Click for MORE] Sphere: Related Content

Dark Days for Journalists

Melanie Stetson Freeman/The Christian Science Monitor

Employees of The Monitor looking through a prototype of a weekly newsmagazine that will supplement the Web site.

The paperless newspaper now a reality

The original opening of the TV show "Lou Grant" began with a bird in a tree, the tree chopped down, the wood turned to paper, paper delivered to a publishing plant. Newspapers came off the presses, were delivered, read and then used to line a bird's cage.

That was 31 years ago. If it seemed quaintly inefficient then, it still is, only more so—last night's stories put in your hands this morning at great effort and expense, then disposed of shortly thereafter.

So the Christian Science Monitor's announcement Tuesday that it is largely abandoning print for the Internet in April—giving up daily press runs in favor of a beefed-up Web site, complemented by daily e-mail editions and a weekly print magazine—is intriguing. [Click for MORE]

• Mourning Old Media’s Decline
• Now you see it, now you don't
• Gannett, Time Plan Massive Cuts
• LA Times lays off 10% of its editorial staff
• The Star-Ledger of Newark Plans 40% Cut

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Another 75 Kicked to the Curb at the L.A. Times

Circulation at the Los Angeles Times is down another 5%, to 739,147 daily and 1,055,076 Sunday.

From: Stanton, Russ
To: yyeditall
Sent: Mon Oct 27 08:31:50 2008
Subject: Newsroom job cuts

Colleagues,

The growing economic downturn is forcing us to undergo another round of job reductions and cost cuts. I deeply regret to report that today, 75 of our friends, colleagues and capable staff members in Editorial will be told that they are losing their jobs. This is about 10% of our total staff and these cuts are comparable in scale to those made on the business side of The Times last week.

The severance terms being offered to our colleagues are similar to those offered in the other reductions we've faced this year.

I appreciate your patience, understanding and cooperation during this difficult period. Your department heads and the senior editing team, including John, Davan, Meredith and I, are available to hear your concerns and answer any questions.

Russ Stanton
Editor
Los Angeles Times

> List of L.A. Times departures Sphere: Related Content

Incredibly, Deep New Cutbacks at L.A. Times

2:53 PM Monday

From LA Observed:

This is a breaking situation this afternoon. Editors met over the weekend to get the word and to refine their lists. Newsroom staffers are being told today individually and in department meetings that as many as 75 editorial positions are being cut through voluntary departures and layoffs. Some staffers were approached last week about volunteering, "enticed" with the threat that this will be the absolute final time that editorial employees will receive two weeks severance pay for each year of service when they leave. When new publisher Eddy Hartenstein took over in August, right after the last round of deep cuts, he was asked repeatedly about the prospect of new layoffs, and according to a first-hand report I passed along then:

The question of more layoffs was posed in half a dozen different ways and he said he hadn't been given a target number for the staff, that Sam Zell told him to run the place, etc., etc. He did say (as did Mark Willes and Sam Zell) that we can't cut our way to prosperity.

I've emailed Hartenstein and Times spokeswoman Nancy Sullivan some questions about what has changed since August and the extent of this round of cutbacks. My sources say the newsroom staffing level is headed to about 650, but I don't know if that includes the decimation of the Washington bureau expected by many there after the November election. Associate Editor for features Leo Wolinsky [photo, right] is holding a meeting with his staff shortly amid strong rumors that he is leaving. Stay tuned.

* Update: Wolinsky confirmed to his people that he's out, citing staff reorganization. Editor Russ Stanton has announced a 5 pm staff meeting. Wolinsky, you'll remember, moved over into the features job during the March buyout wave after years as the page one editor under a few different titles.

LA Observed

> Lest we forget, Saturday was the anniversary of the launch of the free-standing Valley section in 1984. The Valley printing facility shut down Jan. 8, 2006. See http://chatsworth91311.tripod.com/.
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10,000 Journalists Kicked to the Curb

From graphicdesignr.net


It’s a day no one really wanted to see, but the 87 buyouts at the Sacramento Bee pushed this year’s total of layoffs/buyouts at U.S. newspapers above 10,000. That’s 39.39 jobs per day.

The total doesn’t tell the full story, though: More layoffs and buyouts have not been reported.

Earlier this week, the Billings Gazette laid off two reporters One of them, Luella Brien, was told not to tell her co-workers that she’d been laid off. The paper, owned by Lee Enterprises, did not report the layoffs on its Web site or (that I’ve found) in print. In July, Tribune Co. did the same thing but on a larger scale at the Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Officials at both papers eventually released statements after bloggers and professional organizations called them on it: The Sentinel laid off 52 employees; the Sun-Sentinel laid off 58 employees.

The following papers have laid off employees or offered buyouts:

(Any help filling in missing numbers is appreciated.)

January


• The Star-Ledger, Newark, N.J.


• West Virginia Standard, Culloden, W.Va.

February


• Capital Times, Madison, Wis.



• Morning Call, Allentown, Penn.


• Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago


• Bay Area News Group, California


• Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif.


• Oakland Tribune, Oakland, Calif.


• Albuquerque Tribune, Albuquerque, N.M.

March


• The Enterprise, Brockton, Mass


• Tracy Press, Tracy, Calif.


• The Star-Ledger, Newark, N.J.


• Lexington Herald-Leader, Lexington, Ky.


• Duluth News Tribune, Duluth, Minn.



• St. Joseph News-Press, St. Joseph, Mo.


• Newton Citizen, Covington, Ga.


• Albany Herald, Albany, Ga.


• Gwinnett Daily Post, Lawrenceville, Ga.


• Clayton News-Daily, Jonesboro, Ga.


• Henry Daily Herald, McDonough, Ga.



• Jackson Progress-Argus, Jackson, Ga.


• Rockdale Citizen, Conyers, Ga.


• Pasadena Star-News, Pasadena, Calif.


• San Gabriel Valley Tribune, West Covina, Calif.


• Whittier Daily News, Whittier, Calif.


• Foster’s Daily Democrat, Dover, N.H.



• The Citizen, Laconia, N.H.


• Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Ontario, Calif.


• San Bernardino County Sun, San Bernardino, Calif.


• Redlands Daily Facts, Redlands, Calif.

April



• Anderson Independent-Mail, Anderson, S.C.


• Daily Herald, Arlington Heights, Ill.


• Highlands Today, Sebring, Fla.


• Lincoln County Journal, Shoshone, Idaho


• Minidoka County News, Rupert, Idaho

May



• Portland Tribune, Portland, Ore.


• Asbury Park Press, Neptune, N.J.


• Courier-Post, Cherry Hill, N.J.


• The Daily Journal, Vineland, N.J.


• Home News Tribune, East Brunswick, N.J.


• Courier News, Bridgewater, N.J.



• Star Tribune, Minneapolis, Minn.


• The Record, Hackensack, N.J.


• Herald News, West Paterson, N.J.


• Richmond Times-Dispatch, Richmond, Va.


• Winston-Salem Journal, Winston-Salem, N.C.


• Asbury Park Press, Neptune, N.J



• Home News Tribune, East Brunswick, N.J.


• Courier News, Bridgewater, N.J.


• Daily Record, Parsippany, N.J.


• Roscommon County Herald, Roscommon, Mich.


• Oscoda County Herald, Oscoda, Mich.


• Ogemaw County Herald, West Branch, Mich.



• Cape Cod Times, Hyannis, Mass.

June


• The Saratogian, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.


• The Record, Troy, N.Y.


• The Observer, New Smyrna Beach, Fla.


• Newsday, New York



• The Plain Dealer, Cleveland


• Penn Hills Progress, Penn Hills, Penn.


• Woodland Progress, Monroeville, Penn.


• McKnight Journal, Wexford, Penn.


• North Journal, Wexford, Penn.


• Coraopolis-Moon Record, Sewickley, Penn.



• Advance Leader, Monroeville, Penn.


• Bridgeville Area News, Pittsburgh
  
• Free Times, Cleveland


• Detroit Free Press, Detroit


• The Detroit News, Detroit


• Bay Area News Group East, California



• Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif.


• Oakland Tribune, Oakland, Calif.


• Suffolk Life, Riverhead, N.Y.


• Mail Tribune, Medford, Ore.


• Ashland Daily Tidings, Ashland, Ore.

July



• St Petersburg Times, St. Petersburg, Fla.


• The Argus Champion, New London, N.H.


• Portland Press Herald, Portland, Maine


• The Post and Courier, Charleston, S.C.


• Press & Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, N.Y.



• The Ithaca Journal, Ithaca, N.Y.


• Star-Gazette, Elmira, N.Y.


• Chicago Tribune, Chicago


• The Dispatch, Lexington, N.C.


• The Birmingham News, Birmingham, Ala.

August



• North Side News, Jerome, Idaho


• Gooding County Leader, Gooding, Idaho


• Southern Idaho Press, Burley, Idaho


• Washington Times, Washington, D.C.


• Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago


• Lexington Herald-Leader, Lexington, Ky.



• Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.


• Fayetteville Observer, Fayetteville, N.C.


• Buffalo News, Buffalo, N.Y.


• The Plain Dealer, Cleveland


• Daily Journal, Vineland, N.J.


• Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, Texas



• Lancaster Eagle-Gazette, Lancaster, Ohio


• Gainesville Sun, Gainesville, Fla.


• Star-Banner, Ocala, Fla.


• Philadephia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia


• Fresno Bee, Fresno, Calif.


• The Wichita Eagle, Wichita, Kan.



• The Kansas City Star, Kansas City, Mo.


• Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago


• The Bradenton Herald, Bradenton, Fla.


• Raytown Tribune, Raytown, Mo.

September


• News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C.



• Orfordville Journal and Footville News, Orfordville, Wis.


• The Eagle-Tribune, North Andover, Mass.


• Andover Townsman, Andover, Mass.


• Haverhill Gazette, Haverhill, Mass.


• Town Crossings, Boxford, Mass.


• Carriage Towne News, Exeter, N.H.



• Derry News, Derry, N.H.


• Gloucester Daily Times, Gloucester, Mass.


• The Daily News of Newburyport, Newburyport, Mass.


• The Salem News, Beverly, Mass.


• Marin Independent Journal, Novato, Calif.


• Providence Journal, Providence, R.I.



• The News Tribune, Tacoma, Wash.


• The Olympian, Olympia, Wash.


• Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, Wash.

Even if each entry is just one layoff or buyout, and that’s still 124 more jobs. No matter what, our industry has lost a lot of jobs, and a lot of great journalists.

See the map and more information at Paper Cuts. If you know of a layoff/buyout that’s not included, or can help track down some numbers, send Newsdesignr an e-mail.

> Here's a list from McClatchy Watch.

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Very Mixed Media

> New Los Angeles Times Publisher Eddy Hartenstein asserts independence
> Are editors a luxury that we can do without?
> McClatchy to impose pay freeze
> US publisher Gannett to axe 1,000 staff posts
> Is the Kindle ebook reader becoming Amazon's iPod?
> St. Pete Times loses 200 to early retirement, avoids layoffs
> Rockford Register Star lays off 13
> Plain Dealer offers buyout to non-union workers
> Downsizing the News And Pretending to Increase Quality
> 'Arkansas Democrat-Gazette' Freezes Salaries, Hiring -- But Vows No Layoffs
> 'Buffalo News' Extends Buyouts to 10% Of Staff -- 'Modesto Bee' Offers to All
> Daytona Beach News Journal is for sale
> N.Y. Daily News looks to slash 25 jobs
> Star-Telegram initiates separation program

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Yikes! Everyone Gets Kicked to the Curb!

> Gannett said laying off 600 newspaper employees; pub's memo says cuts among total 1,000 jobs axed
A Maryland publisher told employees late this afternoon that Gannett is eliminating 1,000 newspaper jobs, or about 3% of the troubled newspaper division's workforce -- and that about 600 employees are being laid off, a Gannett Blog reader says. [Click for MORE]

> Charges drag Tribune to $4.5 billion 2Q loss
> Trib value fell $20 million a day under Zell
> Sun-Times Media swings to 2Q loss
> Cox to sell off several newspapers, Valpak operations
> Cox to sell Austin American-Statesman, Austin360.com
> News-Journal Corp. officially for sale
> Journal Register Reports Assets of $77 Million -- And Liabilities of $719 Million
> Houston, San Antonio Dailies Discuss Joint Feature Production
> Observer offers employee buyouts
> Post Co. Reports First Operating Loss in 37 Years
> McClatchy writes down value of its 25.6% stake in Classified Ventures
> McClatchy's Lexington Herald-Leader offers yet another buyout package
> McClatchy lowers estimated value of Seattle Times to $9.9M
> Baltimore Sun to undergo a reinvention, not just a redesign

Tribune's So. Florida Sun-Sentinel: Old look, left; New look, right. [Click for DETAILS]

And The Good News?

> CNN to put "all-platform journalists" in 10 US cities
> Huffington Post's Chicago site to launch on Thursday
> Palm Beach's rich shelter the Daily News from newspaper woes Sphere: Related Content

'A newspaper that has not had layoffs' hiring

COPY EDITOR/REPORTER needed at Aberdeen, S.D., a newspaper that has not had layoffs. Be a general assignment reporter two nights a week and a copy editor three nights for an 18,000 circulation newspaper. Page design and copy editing duties will often include Page 1A. Journalism degree or newspaper experience preferred. Excellent benefit package, health insurance and 401K match. Send resume and five clips to Amy Jones, Human Resources at ajones@aberdeennews.com

Hat Tip: Fading to Black

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Don't Let the Door Hit Ya on the Way Out

> Tribune job cuts begin
> 36 Ledger Employees Will Be Laid Off
> Herald-Tribune reduces its staff
> Herald to offer voluntary buyouts to employees
> Sarasota Herald-Tribune lays off 33 as it reduces zoned editions
> 'Star-Ledger' Seeks 200 Buyouts, Threatens Sale if Not Reached
> San Diego Union-Tribune's parent company to explore sale Sphere: Related Content

Kicked to the Curb Just About Everywhere

> Sign of The Times: The ruins of the Orange County edition
> Bells Toll for Reporters – But What About Zell?
> Grim News for a Paper in Jersey
> Newspapers Could Be Bargains, but Few Are Buying
> Newspapers in difficult times
> Citing economy, Montana newspaper reduces staff
> 12 layoffs at Munster newspaper
> Washington Post Co. Reports First Operating Loss In 37 Years
> A.H. Belo Looks to Eliminate 500 Jobs
> Grim Reaper: Newspapers Cut 3500+ Jobs in Two Months
> 300+ Accept Palm Beach Post Buyouts; Layoffs Lurking
> Atlanta newspaper cutting staff by 200
> SF Chronicle aims to cut 125 more positions though buyouts
> Chilling sign: Private publisher exit plans
> 'Seattle Times' Puts Big Blocks Of Property Up For Sale To Raise Cash
> Penny Stock: Journal Register Shares Hit One Cent
> The winnowing of Pennsylvania's newspapers Sphere: Related Content

Kicked to the Curb at the Baltimore Sun

100 empty, black chairs, adorned with "pink slips," outside Tribune Co.'s Baltimore Sun symbolize the editorial staffers being terminated in yet another budget cut. [Click for MORE]

> Kicked to the curb at the Morning Call
> Kicked to the curb at the News-Press
> Kicked to the curb by Gannett
> Kicked to the curb at the Orlando Sentinel
> Kicked to the curb at the Bay Area Newspaper Group
> Kicked to the curb at the Palm Beach Post
> Kicked to the curb at the Atlanta Journal and Constitution
> Kicked to the curb at the Tampa Tribune
> Kicked to the curb at the Wall Street Journal Sphere: Related Content

Kicked to the Curb by the L.A. Times

Protest sign posted under wall display of the L.A. Times' Pulitzers.

The growing list of journalists cut loose by the Los Angeles Times:

1. Bob Bayer

2. Eric Boyd

3. Kevin Bronson

4. Tom Bronzini

5. Corie Brown

6. Paul Brownfield

7. Jamie Cardenas

8. Bob Carey

9. Mike Castelvecchi

10. Carlos Chavez

11. Jay Christensen

12. Marla Cone

13. Dan Costello

14. Richard Cromelin

15. Janet Cromley

16. Perry Crowe

17. Nick Cuccia

18. Catherine Davis

19. Tricia Davis

20. RUSS DEVITA

21. Donna Deane

22. Casey Dolan

23. Bob Durrell

24. Leslie Earnest

25. Michael Edwards

26. Karin Esterhammer

27. Maggie Farley

28. Lisa Fong

29. John Galant

30. Jason Gelt

31. Josh Getlin

32. Liam Gowing

33. Joel Greenberg

34. David Haldane

35. Richard Hartog

36. Steve Harvey

37. Lynne Heffley

38. Martin Henderson

39. David Hiller

40. Jessica Hollowell

41. Joel Huerto

42. Jennifer James

43. Jennie Jarvie

44. Carol Kaufman

45. Alex Kimball

46. Richard Kipling

47. John Kissell

48. Kathy Kristoff

49. Steve Lacey

50. Evelyn Lau

51. Todd Leibensperger

52. Bettijane Levine

53. Paul Lieberman

54. Liam Lindsey

55. Doug List

56. William Lobdell

57. Ron Logsdon

58. John Malnic

59. Shirley Marlowe

60. Amy Martin

61. Mark Masek

62. Craig Matsuda

63. Rosemary McClure

64. Terry McDermott

65. Gary Metzker

66. Bob Miezerski

67. Steve Mitchell

68. Paul Netter

69. Scott Nordhues

70. Marc Nurre

71. Anne-Marie O'Connor

72. Pauline O'Connor

73. Chris Pasles

74. Kendall Pate

75. Chuck Phillips

76. Christina Pompa

77. Enid Portuguez

78. Jim Powell

79. Jim Powers

80. Steve Pratt

81. Matt Randall

82. Charley Reinken

83. David Reyes

84. Julie Rogers

85. Bob Rohwer

86. Jesus Sanchez

87. Katie Sauceda

88. Deborah Schoch

89. Stu Silverstein

90. Lynn Smith

91. Steve Springer

92. Joan Springhetti

93. Eric Stephens

94. Larry Stewart

95. Darryl Strickland

96. Tom Trapnell

97. Carlos Uribe

98. Janet Wilson

99. Brenda Wong

100. Pete Yoon

101. Nancy Yoshihara

102. Paul Zieke

---

For updates, click HERE. For news of the Orlando Sentinel, click HERE and HERE. For the latest news about the Baltimore Sun, click HERE.

AUDIO: Fom the PBS News Hour
Tribune Co. Tribulations
Jeffrey Brown examines what's ahead for the Tribune media chain after the announcement that two more executives at its biggest newspapers are leaving.

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