Big cuts in Salt Lake City

[Stitch]

Deseret News to eliminate 43 percent of workforce. Besides wow, I don't have much else.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700061704/Changes-at-the-Deseret-News-announced.html

 

[SixToe]

Holy ****. Forty-three percent?

"Lead and innovate" apparently means "getting rid of half our staff."

 

[hwkcrz1]

AP story

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah's longest publishing daily newspaper said Tuesday it will cut nearly half of its staff and consolidate breaking news operations with affiliated television and radio operations.

The Deseret News announced that 85 newsroom positions are being eliminated, although some staffers will be enlisted for a transition period. The layoffs include 57 full-time and 28 part-time employees.

Deseret News CEO and President Clark Gilbert said the Deseret News is combining operations with KSL-TV and KSL Radio and will move to the broadcast networks' building about five blocks away.

The newspaper will continue to publish seven days a week with contributions from readers, community figures and TV and radio reporters.

"We are in a period of massive innovation," Gilbert said in the statement. "Audiences are migrating from traditional newspapers to digital news sources, which allows us to reach more audiences than ever before."

 

[wannabeu]

Damn.

 

[Tarheel316]

"Lead and innovate" apparently means "getting rid of half our staff."

Yeah, really. I'm sure all the suits kept their jobs.

 

[SixToe]

The newspaper will continue to publish seven days a week with contributions from readers, community figures and TV and radio reporters.

Not only are 43 percent going to be laid off, but they're getting whacked for feel-good crap from community figures, PR fluff and citizen "journalists."

 

[Stitch]

"Lead and innovate" apparently means "getting rid of half our staff."

Yeah, really. I'm sure all the suits kept their jobs.

Publisher and editor are moving to advisory roles. Who knows how much they'll make.

 

[DanOregon]

Kind of surprising. SLC is still dominated by the LDS, but you would think they would try and keep a big footprint in the city (and state capital) that has become increasingly non-LDS in the last 20 years.

 

[Tarheel316]

Stitch, I'm sure they'll be well taken care of.

 

[Harry Doyle]

Anybody know who/how many in sports?

 

[Baron Scicluna]

43 percent? Just give up already and go away.

 

[SixToe]

43 percent? Just give up already and go away.

Well, they did say they're moving in with a radio and television station, and plan to use submissions from community leaders and contributors.

Maybe they'll chop two or three inches off the width of the paper, too.

 

[Jim Patrick]

Any names? I'm a former employee from the rival paper in town. As frustrating as it was to work against the DesNews -- they always seemed to have more writers than our paper, despite being the smaller paper -- I feel very bad for the DesNews guys. We were competitive, but they're still good people. Any word on who is gone?

 

[HanSenSE]

The newspaper will continue to publish seven days a week with contributions from readers, community figures and TV and radio reporters.

Not only are 43 percent going to be laid off, but they're getting whacked for feel-good crap from community figures, PR fluff and citizen "journalists."

"Podunk High loses 43-0, but tries really really hard!"

 

[Riddick]

I can't help but fear this is just the beginning. Isn't this the third or fourth such thread this week?

 

[steveu]

Jeebus Cripes. Translation: SLC essentially became a one-paper town.

 

[Mark2010]

OK, so basically they are becoming an adjunct of the broadcast stations and basically ceeding the newspaper business to the Salt Lake Tribune. That's what I read in this.

 

[Hank_Scorpio]

Anybody know who/how many in sports?

Yes, sports was affected. At least one that I know of. That's all I'm saying though.

 

[Moderator1]

At least four writers in sports that I know of thus far - I'm holding back on names, too, for now. They'll be out soon enough.
Sad day, again, for the industry.

 

[BYH]

Burn in hell, assholes.