Posted on 06/21/2004 9:53:11 PM PDT by BurbankKarl
'L.A. Times' Buys Out 42, Lays Off 20 More, Shuts Two Papers, in Round of Cutbacks
By E & P Staff
Published: June 21, 2004
NEW YORK The Tribune Company-mandated layoffs came to the Los Angeles Times late Monday, and it wasn’t pretty. Some 62 employees will exit the paper, 42 through buyouts but 20 more non-voluntarily. In addition, two newspapers in the Inland Empire area that the Times owns were shut down, with staffers let go or “relocated to other parts of the company,” the Web site, L.A. Observed, reported.
The two papers, which the Times owns through its Times Community News unit, are the Rancho Cucamonga Voice and Claremont/Upland Voice.
In a memo sent to staff late on Monday, Times editor John Carroll said that all 42 staffers who applied for voluntary buyouts had been informed that they were accepted, and 20 more employees were laid off. He wrote:
“All of the people who are leaving have made meaningful contributions to the paper and to life in the newsroom. We are sorry to be losing them. This is a wrenching time for them, and all for those who are staying, some of whom are taking on more responsibility.
“In recent years, this staff has shown tht it can make an already impressive newspaper steadily stronger. With your inspired work, that trend can continue in the months to come, and it can continue rapidly. It is crucial that this episode of cost cutting prove to be nothing more than that: a bump in the road, not a change in direction. I appreciate all that you are doing for the Los Angeles Times."
Among those taking the buyout were metro reporter turned novelist Dave Ferrell.
Faltering ad revenues at the Times led to the cutbacks. Tribune also ordered cuts at several other papers, including the Baltimore Sun.
Richly deserved at that.
Not quite. That leftist bias helped produce a generation of customers that couldn't read the paper, nor could they earn enough money that the paper could command a decent price for advertising.
I cancelled the subscription because of their liberal bias. I'm sad to see people lose their jobs, but I refuse to partake in their liberalness.
One can only go so far with ads for lingerie and tanning salons.
Yep, nice to look at, but you wouldn't want to own one.
I think the bulk of who are forced to subscribe are professionals in law and finance who are made to follow the market.
Those subscribers leaving would cut IMO current subscriptions in half.
latimes was awesome 25 years ago.
i can't imagine why anyone reads it today.
FR, Drudge, OC Register is it for me.
It's a bummer when the new residents don't speak or read English.
CBS POLL: # polled? (under 1500 for sure) LA TIMES POLL: # polled? (under 1500 for sure) AOL ONLINE POLLED: 600,000+ WASH POST/ABC POLL: 1200+/-
One-way information (propaganda/lie) is headed for the ash heap of history.
Yes, we can see that.
Have you considered trying to make it more honest?
With the internet and all the blogs, etc. out there, why would anyone in the 21st century purchase a newspaper.
I suppose it is sort of "retro" - if you are into that sort of thing. I guess some people still make some of their own clothes...
Look at it this way--they're now free to find respectable work.
And immediate lawsuits/refunds.
Twenty-five years ago, the best paper in town was the Herald Examiner.
Biased journalists on the left are literally creating demand thereby using the market to transfer wealth straight to bank accounts of Conservative writers, news outlets and talk show hosts.
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