Now at the plate: the Charlotte Observer

Hearing that more layoffs began today at the Observer, including the newsroom ... no names yet, though ...

 

Again? Shit.

 

Someday there will be nobody around to put out a paper. Then, that'll learn 'em.

 

Unfortunately, we saw this coming last week with cuts at other McClatchy outposts in Columbia, Raleigh, Sacramento and Fort Worth. Probably not the end of it, either.

 

Add KC to the list.
Per a memo this morning: 12 overall; 7 in the newsroom (I'm told none in sports this time).

 

(Sort of) Adding to the list.
I'm also being told at least three McClatchy papers are freezing portions, if not all, of their freelance budgets for at least a month or two.

 

From what we've seen, Jim Utter has taken over the lead on that beat after backing up David. Does a nice job, too.

 

Utter doesn't want the job ... they've been trying out Brant James, who was the NASCAR guy at St. Pete before getting laid off, during ARCA testing in Daytona (when Danica-mania hit in all its sickening glory) and this week during the NASCAR Media Tour ... when they'll get around to actually hiring the guy (or whoever they put in the position) remains to be seen ...

 

From the Observer's own story ...

Faced with shaky advertising revenues and lingering economic uncertainty, the Charlotte Observer will eliminate 25 full-time jobs, the latest in a string of cuts, the company announced this morning.

The cutbacks include the equivalent of 11 full-time newsroom positions, affecting 15 full- and part-time workers, Observer editor Rick Thames told employees. The announcement follows a similar one at sister paper The (Raleigh) News & Observer, which cut 20 jobs last week.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/business/story/1190391.html