Posted on 10/12/2007 7:17:41 PM PDT by LdSentinal
NEW YORK The managing partnership for the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News announced Friday it will offer buyout packages as it tries to cut 110 positions, or about 5 percent of the overall staff.
It said layoffs may happen if it doesn't get enough volunteers or if economic conditions worsen.
The staff cuts will include employees in all departments, including the newsrooms at both papers, advertising, circulation, marketing and human resources, said Susie Ellwood, executive vice president and general manager for the Detroit Media Partnership.
Ellwood said the partnership wants to cut 16 newsroom employees at the Detroit Free Press and six at The Detroit News.
"It has to do with the business climate and the newspaper industry and, certainly, the economic environment here in Michigan," she said.
The buyouts are being offered immediately to nonunion employees who are 50 or older with at least 10 years of credited service as of Oct. 12. The Detroit Media Partnership also has contacted union leaders and hopes to extend the buyouts to union-represented workers.
The offer is open until Nov. 2. If fewer than 110 employees take the buyouts, or if economic conditions worsen, the partnership may have to consider other measures, including layoffs, Ellwood said.
Detroit Media Partnership manages the business operations of the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News, including production, advertising and circulation, but the papers' newsroom operations are separate.
The Free Press is owned by Gannett Co. based in McLean, Va. The News is owned by MediaNews Group, based in Denver, Colo.
The news came in a pair of memos posted at the Romenesko site at www.poynter.org today.
The first was an excerpt from a memo from Detroit Free Press publisher David Hunke: "Due to worsening economic conditions, Detroit Media Partnership is offering a voluntary severance program.
"At this time, the program is being offered to active, benefit-eligible non-represented employees of the partnership and Detroit Free Press who are 50 years of age or older with at least 10 years of credited service as of October 12. ...
"We have contacted union leaders to extend this offer to the bargaining unit employees who are eligible. ...
"The program offers two weeks of severance for every year of credited service - up to 52 weeks. ... The offer is open until November 2. We are looking for 110 volunteers. If more than 110 volunteer, we will review whether we can expand the pool. Decisions about which volunteers will be accepted will be based on position and seniority. If the voluntary offer doesn't result in a sufficient number of volunteers, or if, in the future, economic conditions worsen, it may be necessary to consider layoffs."
Another excerpt came from a memo from Editor Paul Anger: "We will be reducing our newsroom workforce by about 5%. We will say goodbye to some outstanding journalists and great friends who see this as a timely opportunity to make a transition in their lives, and we will take the time to celebrate their contribution. ...We're transforming our industry from ground level."
We should seek 110th job cuts...vote every Congresscritter out of office
Including Duncan Hunter and Tom Tancredo?
Shouldn’t this hit the dino media watch ping?
You would think that some of these papers would buy a cluepon, and realize the 5% that needs cutting is in the News Room...
That’s about 90 percent fewer then should be let go.
Let the liberals from the M.S.M. go get a job at McDonalds on the fry line if they are capeable of handling a non union job.
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