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D.C. news bureaus await big cuts
The Hill ^ | Dec 1, 2004 | Albert Eisele and Jeff Dufour

Posted on 11/30/2004 8:21:42 PM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection

Reporters and editors at some of Washington’s largest out-of-town newspaper offices, including the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune and Baltimore Sun, are holding their breath while waiting for word from on high this week as to how many will fall victim to drastic cost-cutting measures.

And that may be the good news. Even worse news could come next year, when the Chicago-based Tribune Co. is expected to consolidate the Washington bureaus of a half-dozen daily newspapers the company owns, including the Hartford Courant and Orlando Sentinel. This could mean further staff reductions and partial loss of identity for some of the papers.

Already, the Washington bureau of one of the Tribune Co. papers, Newsday, has felt the shock of layoffs, with such veteran journalists as congressional correspondent Elaine Povich, chief economic writer Jim Toedtman, White House reporter Ken Fireman, science and health specialist Earl Lane, political columnist Marie Cocco and national security and defense reporter Knut Royce either given walking papers or offered early retirement after refusing to move to Newsday’s Melville, Long Island, headquarters.

“The Newsday contingent [in Washington] will be reduced from 14 to six” as part of an overall reduction of 50 editorial employees, said Toedtman, former editor of Newsday’s defunct New York City edition who was “involuntarily retired” last month.

Paul West, bureau chief of The Sun, said that he expects to hear this week whether he’ll lose any of his eight reporters and editors. “I’m hoping we won’t lose any,” he said, while noting that the bureau “is in a unique situation with our newsroom only an hour away and people often temporarily assigned here on big stories.”

The Washington bureaus of the Tribune Co.’s two largest papers, the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune, are expected to take at least a 10 percent cut, with other bureaus asked to take even deeper cuts.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: baltsun; ctribune; latimes; layoffs; liberalmedia; newspapers

1 posted on 11/30/2004 8:21:42 PM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection

Bad year for reporters. First, Kerry loses. Second, they get the axe.


2 posted on 11/30/2004 8:23:59 PM PST by The Old Hoosier (Right makes might.)
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To: The Old Hoosier

I love firing these people!


3 posted on 11/30/2004 8:25:20 PM PST by eagle11 (I'd hate to read the history books one hundred years from now.....)
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection

Please say it isn't so! The LA Times is cutting staff and in trouble? Anything but that!
My heart bleeds! /sarcasm off


4 posted on 11/30/2004 8:25:32 PM PST by libs_kma (USA: The land of the Free....Because of the Brave!)
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To: Petronski

Schadenfreude alert.


5 posted on 11/30/2004 8:26:14 PM PST by Constitution Day
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To: The Old Hoosier
Bad year for reporters. First, Kerry loses. Second, they get the axe.

Looks like the CIA isn't the only outfit in DC getting broomed. Every paper listed here is a worthless left-wing rag suitable for housebreaking a puppy, and nothing else. If they were all forced to close up their DC bureaus I wouldn't shed a tear.

6 posted on 11/30/2004 8:28:40 PM PST by CFC__VRWC (It's not evidence of wrongdoing just because Democrats don't like the outcome.)
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection

Damn. Just damn ... such a low blow to such a contemptible group!


7 posted on 11/30/2004 8:29:13 PM PST by BluH2o
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To: BluH2o

Welcome to the real world you maggots. The quality of your product matters, and we don't purchase it. Now find a real job.


8 posted on 11/30/2004 8:30:53 PM PST by Glock17 (Aim Center Mass)
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection

I guess will have to make up our own bald-faced, treasonous lies about the President, since LAT, ChiTrib, etc. might be scaling back their 'work.'


9 posted on 11/30/2004 8:43:37 PM PST by Petronski (One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble, not much between despair and ecstasy.)
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection

But nahhh, it couldn't be b/c those papers are going the way of the buggy whip!


10 posted on 11/30/2004 8:45:12 PM PST by Fruitbat
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
If they told they truth, balanced their staff and their writing, then readership would increase.

I would be happy to buy a subscription to a well-written paper that was not produced by pompous, immoral snobs.

The current "Top Story" on my local fishwrap:

Edwards says his fight isn't over

There was no motorcade. No Secret Service. No rock anthem introduction.

Just John Edwards strolling to the well of the chamber at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center, no longer a national candidate but an outgoing U.S. senator coming to offer at least a temporary farewell.

Why do they think anyone cares? They readership is down to 22% of households. 75% wouldn't give them the time of day, and they can't figure out why. Maybe because people don't want to gag when they're just trying to find out what's happening around the county.
11 posted on 11/30/2004 8:47:19 PM PST by TaxRelief (out-of-the-closet conservative)
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection

What news?

The names mentioned are only propganda organizations.


12 posted on 11/30/2004 8:47:51 PM PST by sport
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they = the
they = their

*time for bed


13 posted on 11/30/2004 8:55:50 PM PST by TaxRelief (out-of-the-closet conservative)
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection

Wow! Not to wallow in others grief. But it's almost an irresistable temptation in this case. Almost. I think I caught myself in time.


14 posted on 11/30/2004 10:20:35 PM PST by sevry
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