Posted on 07/15/2008 12:31:01 PM PDT by abb
Even though at least 34 journalists at The Sun have applied for buyout packages, the paper will still need to lay off employees to achieve its goal of eliminating 60 newsroom jobs by August.
According to Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild Co-chair Tanika White, 34 Guild members and a rumored 10 more non-Guild members applied for the buyout by Friday’s deadline. White stressed that some buyout applications could be rejected — that Sun leadership may decide it cannot afford to lose certain skill sets, which would add to the number of layoffs.
Judy Berman, senior vice president of marketing for the Baltimore Sun Media Group, said the company is “staying with their original process and timeline” for buyouts and layoffs, and would not confirm the total number of buyout applications received from the newsroom. But an unofficial list of those who have applied includes reporters, photographers and editors whose service at the paper ranges from less than a year to more than 25 years.
Health and medicine reporter Jonathan Bor, education reporter GinaMarie Davis and metro reporter Lynn Anderson — who combine for more than 44 years at The Sun — confirmed that they had applied for buyouts, but declined to comment further.
White, also a Sun reporter, said the potential loss of veteran journalists would be “very detrimental” to The Sun.
“It’s an organization that has taken some beatings in the past with lots of job reductions and loss of space in the paper and changes in ownership,” said White. “And this is just one more blow.”
Former employees will get one week of pay for every completed six months of service, plus 3 percent to help cover taxes. Although Guild negotiators could not get the company to budge on its timeline — Sun employees had two weeks to consider the buyout package offered to them — White said they did convince the company to use seniority as the basis for application approval.
She said Sun management originally wanted to choose who would be approved for a buyout if there were more applying than they needed in any particular job classification. After the company notifies those whose applications have been approved, the remaining layoffs would be primarily in the newsroom and in the call center, The Sun told the Guild.
Notification to those approved for the buyout — and to those who will be laid off — is scheduled to begin Friday, the company told the union.
White said that while the Guild hoped as many people as possible would take the voluntary buyout instead of risking a layoff, she was still surprised at the number of people who applied.
“My opinion is that this is one more example of the frustration people feel here at The Sun,” she said. “The idea that the company could garner 34 [Guild] buyout applications just several months after staff reductions in this terrible, terrible economic environment, it shows that people … are reluctantly realizing that they’ve got to find something else to do and something with a little more stability.”
The Sun announced plans last month to cut 60 jobs from its newsroom as part of a sweeping cost-cutting plan within its parent Tribune Co. A total of 100 positions will be eliminated across The Baltimore Sun Media Group, which publishes The Sun and several community newspapers. The total number of buyout applications submitted across the Media Group could not be confirmed Monday.
The guild represents about 400 workers at the company. In addition to the newsroom, it represents workers in the advertising, circulation, building and finance departments,
The cuts will leave the company with about 1,300 employees, including about 240 in the newsroom.
M. William Salganik, Guild president and a Sun business reporter until he accepted a buyout package in March, said the number of buyout applications this time around signified a change of heart among the newsroom staff.
“I think it’s remarkable given that there was a buyout in March and a buyout last June, so I think it’s a sign that people are discouraged,” he said.
“I think a few months ago there was still some hope that [Tribune owner] Sam Zell would turn it around,” Salganik continued. “He came in in January saying ‘cuts aren’t the answer, we have to find way to generate more revenue.’ … But boy, it sure doesn’t look like that now.”
ping
Odd, the Guild iself does not seem to be downsizing to keep pace with their membership...
David Swanson, the After Downing Street moonbat has ties to that “Guild”.
The Baltimore Sun is a leftist rag that prints only Democrat propaganda. I don’t know why anyone would pay money to read it.
Yep, newspaper after newspaper across the country has seen circulation drop, ad revenue drop, and layoffs continuing.
The papers just can’t compete nowadays. The anecdotal evidence years ago was that the coming of TV and TV news helped kill off afternoon newspapers in most cities. And the evidence today is that the internet and cable news channels 24/7 is killing off the concept of a printed newspaper.
There continue to be rumors that some major daily newspaper will go to a web only format sometime in the next few years. That would be a big milestone if some papers decide not to even print a printed paper. It’s a huge expense to print and distribute newspapers every day. And perhaps a needless one nowadays when so many of their customers will simply read the paper on the web.
In the end, we will have 3 big newspapers and a lot of suburban weeklies/bi-weeklies, IMO.
This is a foregone proposition. The Tribune Company (Baltimore Sun, LA Times, etc) will likely be bankrupt within the next year. McClatchy (SacBee, Miami Herald, etc) won't be far behind. Revenues from online won't be near enough to support the payroll they have now. It's like the Pony Express trying to compete with the telegraph.
I support my smaller local papers that don’t spew leftist tripe. I really like the newspaper format, but will not buy any of the Commie rags. Letting advertisers for both knowing your buying preferences is often useful ;)
Couldn’t happen to a better newspaper.
/retch
Puzzles xwords etc etc maybe????
34 journalists took the buyout offers? I think I’ve had too low of an opinion about how smart journalists are. These guys/gals are visionaries!
The ironic thing is that Baltimore proper is almost all Democrat. Even the locals don't want to read it. Although most can't because they went through the Baltimore school system.
Went for breakfast at my favorite restaurant this morning and noticed both the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press (both leftist) outside racks were gone. The waitress said they not only stopped delivering the newspapers but removed the racks too. Same with the restaurant down the street. Wonder if this is the start of a trend...
yes, it's still news because they still don't get it. This statement is proof they believe their own garbage.
I am becoming convinced the recession is the sole product of presstitute paranoia
crackheads probably stole the racks and sold them for scrap :D
crackheads probably stole the racks and sold them for scrap :D
The Detroit dailies are so thin now, you’d have to save a couple days worth for bird-liners. Or get smaller bird cages.
Huh...didn’t know they was still publishing.
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