Atlanta to cut 80 newsroom jobs

[fromdawntodesk]

By Leon Lazaroff
Feb. 15 (Bloomberg) — The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the largest newspaper in the Southeastern U.S., plans to restructure its newsgathering and eliminate 80 newsroom jobs to shift to a 24-hour news cycle.
The newspaper plans to create more positions focused on the Internet and eliminate jobs no longer needed in the transition, Atlanta-based parent company Cox Enterprises Inc. said today in a statement. Circulation will be refocused on 73 counties nearest to Atlanta.
The changes in newsroom structure and job cuts at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution come as newspapers including the Boston Globe, Philadelphia Inquirer and San Jose Mercury News have reduced staffs and beefed up their Internet operations to follow readers and advertisers to the Web.
Cox plans to close its Fulton County printing plant within two years and spend $30 million upgrading the Gwinnett County site to handle all production. The company will discontinue circulation in areas far outside Atlanta, the statement said.
Spokeswoman Mary Dugenske didn't immediately return phone calls seeking comment.

 

[BYH]

Spokeswoman Mary Dugenske didn’t immediately return phone calls seeking comment.

Probably lost her job.

 

[Ace]

I love how these things are worded so going to a 24-hour newscycle and doing more for online (while still putting out the paper) necessitates getting rid of people.

Yeah, sure.

 

[Rufino]

Glad to see this - I would sure hate for the Cox sisters to run out of money and I know they're hanging on by the skin of their teeth. Miserable rat biscuit m@##%$%fers.

 

[SoSueMe]

I love how these things are worded so going to a 24-hour newscycle and doing more for online (while still putting out the paper) necessitates getting rid of people.

Yeah, sure.

I was thinking the same thing.

More hours need to be worked. Two products need to be produced. Less people will be doing it.

I don't get it.

 

[OTD]

As long as it's voluntary, it beats the heck out of layoffs.

Potentially, everybody wins -- employees who want the offer take it, the paper gets to cut costs.

In almost every case I'm aware of -- see Morning News, Dallas -- the paper almost immediately turns around and fills a bunch of open spots with younger, cheaper employees.

Where does it say the cuts will be voluntary?

 

[ondeadline]

Hopefully some people who have positions that are being eliminated can get some of the jobs being created.

 

[Deep South Hack]

Poynter has email from editor-in-chief. Bye-bye morning paper.

 

[playthrough]

From that e-mail...

"Shawn McIntosh moves to a new job, Director of Culture and Change, focusing on all of the organizational issues to move us where we need to go. These include training, analysis of process and implementation of standards, and guiding the transition in the months ahead. Her job will be critical to make sure we really change."

Director of Culture and Change. Ah, now that's old school newspapering. Remember back in the day, you always had the grizzled city editor, the tenacious cops reporter, the gumshoe investigative guy, a Grantland Rice-type wordsmith at the ballpark, and a really good Director of Culture and Change.

Gag.

 

[OTD]

Where does it say the cuts will be voluntary?

Right in the actual memo, the Bloomberg writer just left that part out.

What else is happening?
We are extending a voluntary separation program offer to about 80 employees who are 55 years of age or older and have 10 years of Cox pension vesting service. The offer is completely voluntary. We don't expect everyone to take the offer, but we will not limit the number who can accept. We want people to make the decision that is best for them, and we will honor it. Because of that, I can't tell you today how many people will choose to leave the newsroom. Nor can I or other newsroom leaders say anything about what the future will hold for anyone individually. We will talk more specifically in the weeks ahead about the future we see and share that with everyone.

Because the reorganization is timed with the voluntary separation offer, the rules of that separation program will guide our timing. Clearly we will lose some very talented and veteran folks. It's hard, but it's necessary for our economic realities. We consider it a generous offer that provides some financial flexibility to those who choose to accept that they wouldn't otherwise have.

One thing to remember: We will remain one of the largest newsrooms in the country, and we will continue to have a larger news gathering staff than all of the other local print and broadcast news organizations in Atlanta combined.

I'd only seen the wire story. Of course, what happens if not enough of the old folks take the buyout?

 

[write then drink]

From that e-mail...

"Shawn McIntosh moves to a new job, Director of Culture and Change, focusing on all of the organizational issues to move us where we need to go. These include training, analysis of process and implementation of standards, and guiding the transition in the months ahead. Her job will be critical to make sure we really change."

Director of Culture and Change. Ah, now that's old school newspapering. Remember back in the day, you always had the grizzled city editor, the tenacious cops reporter, the gumshoe investigative guy, a Grantland Rice-type wordsmith at the ballpark, and a really good Director of Culture and Change.

Gag.

here's our newsroom

you can see our director of culture and change over there on the far right ...

 

[Moderator1]

So is Ronnie Ramos still sports editor? Are they part of that big ol' news team? This is very curious.