Layoffs at AL.com?

Insiders: new ‘bloodbath’ ongoing at Press-Register - Lagniappe

 

In Huntsville, I'm told the cuts included a longtime sports/news side columnist along with one photog. Five total.

 

Anyone hear about Birmingham?

EDIT: Found the answer to my own question. Per Wade Kwon in Birmingham:

ADVANCE CRISIS: Tipster: 12 laid off at Ala. Media Group, incl. 4 #Bham newsroom vets with combined 90 years experience.

Alabama Media Group laying off workers in Birmingham, Huntsville and Mobile - Birmingham Business Journal

 

Drew Champlin, who had recently been promoted to Bama beat, tweeted this week that he was back to doing UAB, but would also be handling Tide and Tigers recruiting. And this was just a couple of weeks after hiring a new Blazers writer.

 

Does Ala. Media Group operate Birmingham, Huntsville and Mobile as a combined operation or separately? For example, does sports have a combined or individual desks? Does the preceding question assume a degree of clarity within the organization structure than actually exists?

 

It's all one company, though there are individual hubs that operate semi-independently on the news side (though less so with every round of layoffs). Sports is run as one statewide entity.

 

Desk work is centralized in Bham.

 

Of course, that desk work is now for a three-day-a-week publication.

 

Sorry to hear this news. I worked with Jeff Dute years ago back east.

 

Columnist and good guy Mark McCarter confirms on Facebook that he's among those getting the axe. Just criminal.

 

The new writer is Gary Estwick, who came over from NOLA. He's moving to high school sports primarily. I don't *think* he got the axe. I don't know of a list being released so far.