So is McClatchy about to drop the hammer?

And she still hasn't answered the question. But hell, that punctuation...sooo overrated!!!

 

The news in this thread promises imminent heartache for thousands of journalists. Do we really have to have a fucking troll pissing all over it?

 

Speaking of which, how is Lee stock these days?

 

Here it is. Cutting 10 percent of the workforce.

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080616/aqm048.html?.v=50

 

Brace yourselves folks. I hope and pray each of you all effected by this make it out unharmed.

 

Well it isn't quite the 2,700 we had feared, but it's still 1,400 and that stinks. Sounds like some papers are also going to take the blow harder than others.

A lot of really good papers just lost some key personnel. I hope everyone gets through this all right.

 

http://www.mcclatchy.com/pressreleases/story/2166.html

MNI is already down 10 cents in a half-hour.

 

This went out in Miami's newsroom today

 

Well, at least the folks in Miami have a clue what's going on.
A friend who works in FW called to tell me the ExecEd e-mailed the McClatchy release about the 10 percent work force cuts to the entire newsroom but there are no details _ buyouts, voluntary, involuntary, how many _ about it will impact the Star-Telegram.
Have a great Monday, folks.

 

Does the Miami Herald still have four "managing editors?"
That could change. That could change to save some reporters on the street.

 

Romensko posted Charlotte's memo:

 

Here's what Bradenton Herald employees got today:

Fellow Employees,

I am writing today to tell you that you will be hearing about a McClatchy companywide initiative to reduce its workforce.

This is a painful but necessary step. We’re operating in a time of great change and challenge for our operations, for The McClatchy Company and for the newspaper industry overall. Increased competition and a pronounced economic downturn have combined to reduce revenues dramatically, and these cuts are part of the way we must respond. As you know, we have already been transitioning to new ways of doing business, and we are now accelerating that effort. We are confident in our ability to navigate to a stable and prosperous future as an integrated media company serving as our community’s most trusted supplier of news and advertising information.

Over the past year or so here at the Bradenton Herald, we have made substantial reductions in our workforce through attrition and outsourcing of certain functions. Thanks to your talents, diligence and your ability to operate as efficiently as possible under the circumstances, the Bradenton Herald’s only reduction in this companywide initiative was one position in the newsroom. The affected employee has been notified and we will do everything we can to make the transition as smooth as possible. There are no other planned reductions in the newsroom or in other departments here at the Bradenton Herald.

As a news company, we have often reported on such transitions in other industries. Now and in the recent past, we have faced the painful reality of severing employment ties with valued friends and colleagues, many of whom have served the company well for many years. We are sorry to do so.

Other workforce reductions were also announced today throughout McClatchy. A press release detailing those actions – amounting to about 1,400 jobs, or 10% of the company’s workforce – is available at www.mcclatchy.com. As CEO Gary Pruitt says there, "McClatchy is committed to remaining a healthy, profitable company positioned not only to meet current challenges, but to take full advantage of opportunities for growth as we restructure to support our mission of delivering high quality news and information."

To minimize the human impact locally, we have made excellent progress in non-personnel cost control at the Bradenton Herald, and we continue to explore additional efficiencies. We have made careful decisions that were designed to have major impacts on expenses while maintaining the highest possible service standards for our readers, advertisers and the community as a whole. We believe that is why the Bradenton Herald is one of only three newspapers in the state of Florida that showed circulation growth in all categories on the March 31, 2008 Publishers Statement.

This can be a difficult and potentially disorienting time. Your continued effort and dedication are the foundation of our faith in the future, and we know from experience what a talented and productive group you are. The public service mission that drives us remains unchanged, but we will need to make many other changes as we adapt to today’s far more competitive media landscape. We will be working diligently alongside you to ensure our success.

If you have any questions about company changes, please contact your department manager or me personally. Thank you again for your continued service and cooperation.