Raleigh News and Observer offers buyouts to 204 of 900 employees

<a href="http://www.newsobserver.com/business/story/1052899.html">I wonder how many will accept it? The story says that only a small percentage are expected to take it.</a>

 

More good news to start the week...

 

Eligibility for the package was not determined by seniority, Quarles said. Instead, the company looked for positions that could be eliminated using technology, efficiencies or consolidation of jobs.

Since they're already sharing stories with the Charlotte Observer on colleges/Panthers, I would think it's a good bet that many of those positions are in sports.

 

They haven't shared any college stories, unless you count Charlotte handling the regular-season games at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena. And the N&O lately has acted like the Panthers don't exist.

There are positions to trim in sports, if you compare what they do compared to other sections in the area. But I imagine it's probably similar across the board.

 

The N&O has used Charlotte game stories on ACC basketball games that the N&O's writer did not attend (in addition to the games in Charlotte). At least that's what an N&O writer told me.

 

The two papers have most definitely shared some college copy when only one of the two was at a game.

In addition, there was some coordination during the football season in which one paper's writer would write a gamer, the others would write a sidebar and both papers would run both.

 

I could be wrong but I think the N@O has used the Rock Hill paper (another mcclatchy paper) panthers beat guy for years for panthers games.

 

I'm pretty sure that's right.

 

Yes, the N&O has been using Darin Gantt's copy from Rock Hill, but I had also seen some Panthers stories from Charlotte.

This doesn't come as much of a surprise - at all. But I am curious how many employees Quarles and the N&O are looking to push out the door.

 

After Viv Bernstein left the N&O in 2000 or so, the paper used Darrin Gantt pretty much exclusively. Since KR and Charlotte was purchased by McClatchy, it's been more of a mixed bag.

 

I'm not sure Viv had the luxury of leaving. I think she was SOL after the N&O closed its Charlotte bureau at the time. Luckily, I had seen Viv freelancing for other publications for assignments around the Triangle shortly following her ousting.

 

McClatchy had, for the most part, been unscathed in recent layoffs/buyouts. I wonder if this is the beginning for McC...