Turbulent Times in N.Y., L.A. Newsrooms
It's been a lively week in the newspaper world, and the excitement hasn't exactly been of the desirable variety. Earlier in the week, Tribune Co. Chairman and CEO Sam Zell announced major cutbacks at Tribune papers across the country, and then The New York Times' Valentine's Day edition brought word that the Gray Lady will also be downsizing its staff.
It’s been a lively week in the newspaper world, and the excitement hasn’t exactly been of the desirable variety. Earlier in the week, Tribune Co. Chairman and CEO Sam Zell (whose “unconventional” leadership style has caused upsets in Orlando and Los Angeles newsrooms) announced major cutbacks at Tribune papers across the country, and then The New York Times’ Valentine’s Day edition brought word that the Gray Lady will also be downsizing its staff.
Wait, before you go…The New York Times:
The cuts will be achieved by “by not filling jobs that go vacant, by offering buyouts, and if necessary by layoffs,” said the executive editor, Bill Keller. The more people who accept buyouts, he said, “the smaller the prospect of layoffs, but we should brace ourselves for the likelihood that there will be some layoffs.”
The Times has 1,332 newsroom employees, the largest number in its history; no other American newspaper has more than about 900. There were scattered buyouts and job eliminations in The Times’ newsroom in recent years, but the overall number continued to rise, largely because of the growth of its Internet operations.
Shares in The New York Times Company rose almost 5 percent Thursday after the newsroom staff reductions were reported, closing at $18.84, up 86 cents.
If you're reading this, you probably already know that non-profit, independent journalism is under threat worldwide. Independent news sites are overshadowed by larger heavily funded mainstream media that inundate us with hype and noise that barely scratch the surface. We believe that our readers deserve to know the full story. Truthdig writers bravely dig beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that tells you what’s really happening and who’s rolling up their sleeves to do something about it.
Like you, we believe a well-informed public that doesn’t have blind faith in the status quo can help change the world. Your contribution of as little as $5 monthly or $35 annually will make you a groundbreaking member and lays the foundation of our work.
Support Truthdig
More and more often, economic despair kills the have-nots.
The CEOs of 181 union-busting, tax-cheating, polluting corporations are asking us to believe they stand with us in the fight against them.
Howard Schultz said there wasn't enough support for an independent candidate to run in the next presidential election.
Corporate executives have looted the economy, pushing inequality to historic levels. Here's how we remove big money from our democracy.
A new study finds that compensation for top executives has climbed 1,000% since 1978 while wages have remained virtually flat.
Ordinary workers now have to work centuries—or even millennia—to make what their CEOs make in a year.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.