More cuts in Atlanta

[HackyMcHack]

This time, 30 percent of the newsroom gone.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said Wednesday it will cut its full-time news staff by nearly 30 percent to lower costs as it tries to regain profitability amid a severe revenue slump.

The company also announced it will eliminate distribution to seven more outlying counties, reducing its circulation area to 20 metro Atlanta counties, effective April 26. The cutback will pare daily and Sunday circulation by 2 percent.

The AJC’s news staff will drop to about 230 full-time positions, down from about 323 currently. Staff members with five or more years with the company will be offered voluntary buyouts, with layoffs to follow if fewer than about 90 apply, the company said.

Most of the news staff cuts “will be in production and management, allowing us to keep as many news reporters as possible,” AJC and ajc.com editor Julia Wallace said.

The cuts are expected to be completed in May.

The company laid off 48 part-time news staffers Tuesday and announced the full-time cuts Wednesday morning.

Full AJC story: http://www.ajc.com/business/content/business/stories/2009/03/25/ajc_job_cuts.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab

 

[Moderator1]

AJC up AGAIN?

A Facebook status updated said something about a 30 percent cut (90 spots) in Atlanta?
Anyone?
Aren't they already cut to the bone? Can that be for real? I suspect it is because the statusee has a pretty good in there.
Jeebus Cripes.

 

[RickStain]

Re: AJC up AGAIN?

http://www.ajc.com/business/content/business/stories/2009/03/25/ajc_job_cuts.html

Yep.

 

[Moderator1]

Hacky got this up as I was typing so I merged.
Mu-****er. The situation. Not Hacky. Hacky's the man.

 

[JackReacher]

Absolute insanity.

And those with as little as five years get buyouts? Wow.

 

[HackyMcHack]

Thanks for the vine, moddy. I just wish it didn't have to do with this subject.

This, combined with the A2 news from Monday, makes it imperative for EVERYONE in this business to have a bailout plan.

 

[Shifty Squid]

**** me. This is sickening.

They got rid of 48 part-timers and are dumping another 90 or so full-timers? Holy ****, that's about 140 people, <i>all from the newsroom</i>. Is this the biggest newsroom-only cut we've seen that didn't involve a paper basically closing down? I can't think of one this big before.

The AJC is really in some major trouble. I fear greatly that Atlanta is surging closer to the lead in the race to become the first major U.S. city to be without a newspaper. I don't know how much more of this I can handle.

Thoughts go out to everyone there, including Ronnie Ramos, a great guy and an occasional poster here. Those of you who there who know me, beers are on me next time I go through town. ****.

 

[Barsuk]

Jesus. This is becoming a perpetual cycle of this industry making me think it can't get any worse and immediately proving me wrong.

 

[JackReacher]

**** me. This is sickening.

They got rid of 48 part-timers and are dumping another 90 or so full-timers? Holy ****, that's about 140 people, <i>all from the newsroom</i>. Is this the biggest newsroom-only cut we've seen that didn't involve a paper basically closing down? I can't think of one this big before.

The AJC is really in some major trouble. I fear greatly that Atlanta is surging closer to the lead in the race to become the first major U.S. city to be without a newspaper. I don't know how much more of this I can handle.

Thoughts go out to everyone there, including Ronnie Ramos, a great guy and an occasional poster here. Those of you who there who know me, beers are on me next time I go through town. ****.

Yeah. Ramos gets a lot of crap from people on here, but he's been put in an impossible situation.

I wish everyone there the best.

 

[Simon_Cowbell]

**** me. This is sickening.

They got rid of 48 part-timers and are dumping another 90 or so full-timers? Holy ****, that's about 140 people, <i>all from the newsroom</i>. Is this the biggest newsroom-only cut we've seen that didn't involve a paper basically closing down? I can't think of one this big before.

The AJC is really in some major trouble. I fear greatly that Atlanta is surging closer to the lead in the race to become the first major U.S. city to be without a newspaper. I don't know how much more of this I can handle.

Thoughts go out to everyone there, including Ronnie Ramos, a great guy and an occasional poster here. Those of you who there who know me, beers are on me next time I go through town. ****.

They brought that talentless asshole from Palm Beach to do only this.

 

[Moderator1]

Which one?

 

[Shifty Squid]

**** me. This is sickening.

They got rid of 48 part-timers and are dumping another 90 or so full-timers? Holy ****, that's about 140 people, <i>all from the newsroom</i>. Is this the biggest newsroom-only cut we've seen that didn't involve a paper basically closing down? I can't think of one this big before.

The AJC is really in some major trouble. I fear greatly that Atlanta is surging closer to the lead in the race to become the first major U.S. city to be without a newspaper. I don't know how much more of this I can handle.

Thoughts go out to everyone there, including Ronnie Ramos, a great guy and an occasional poster here. Those of you who there who know me, beers are on me next time I go through town. ****.

They brought that talentless asshole from Palm Beach to do only this.

I always enjoyed my dealings with him, but I understand the sentiment. I didn't mean to make this thread about Ronnie, though. Just wanted to mention a guy who I like personally and know is going through a tough time. Everybody at the AJC is hurting right now.

 

[Riddick]

I almost hate saying this, but I didn't mind the line about trying to eliminate managers and keep reporters. Most of us work in offices with way too many managers anyway.
Still, sorry about what the people in the ATL are going through. Best of luck.

 

[clutchcargo]

Two quick thoughts:

1. This sucks.

2. They STILL have over 300 folks working somewhere in editorial??!! What, do they have like 30 news reporters in the building and 30 bureaus in outlying areas, and a sports staff of 50? What do all those people do?

Sorry to be the spoilsport, but 320 folks even in a large-metro paper seems a bit bloated, previous cuts nothwithstanding.

Still, I wish all the best for those being laid off/bought out. They got any bonuses in play down there for the execs?

 

[slappy4428]

Thanks for the vine, moddy. I just wish it didn't have to do with this subject.

This, combined with the A2 news from Monday, makes it imperative for EVERYONE in this business to have a bailout plan.

Easier said than done, sometimes, I'm afraid

 

[RickStain]

Thanks for the vine, moddy. I just wish it didn't have to do with this subject.

This, combined with the A2 news from Monday, makes it imperative for EVERYONE in this business to have a bailout plan.

Easier said than done, sometimes, I'm afraid

As I tell my wife (also a reporter) every time she freaks out about the idea of us going back to school: I didn't say it was easy. I said it was necessary.

 

[Shifty Squid]

Two quick thoughts:

1. This sucks.

2. They STILL have over 300 folks working somewhere in editorial??!! What, do they have like 30 news reporters in the building and 30 bureaus in outlying areas, and a sports staff of 50? What do all those people do?

Sorry to be the spoilsport, but 320 folks even in a large-metro paper seems a bit bloated, previous cuts nothwithstanding.

Still, I wish all the best for those being laid off/bought out. They got any bonuses in play down there for the execs?

Damn, if you think that's bloated, you <i>really</i> would have thought the place was bursting at the seams a couple of years ago. Keep in mind, that 320 includes every single reporter, editor and copy editor for one of the top 20 circulation papers in the country (or, at least, it was ... not sure about now). I don't think the number is at all out of line with the others, though it's possible I'm wrong about that.

They have no bureaus anymore, for the record. I'd say they've got more than 30 news reporters, counting the ones at the Capitol, the ones who cover the 'burb counties, courts, education, transportation, business and everything else that comes along with a very large metro area.

The sports staff has enough people to cover the Hawks, Thrashers, Falcons, Bulldogs, Yellow Jackets, Dream and hundreds of local high schools (well, maybe not "enough" anymore). Almost the entire preps staff was part-timers. They're probably down to a high schools editor and no more than three preps writers.

 

[Frank_Ridgeway]

**** me. This is sickening.

They got rid of 48 part-timers and are dumping another 90 or so full-timers? Holy ****, that's about 140 people, <i>all from the newsroom</i>. Is this the biggest newsroom-only cut we've seen that didn't involve a paper basically closing down? I can't think of one this big before.

The AJC is really in some major trouble. I fear greatly that Atlanta is surging closer to the lead in the race to become the first major U.S. city to be without a newspaper. I don't know how much more of this I can handle.

Thoughts go out to everyone there, including Ronnie Ramos, a great guy and an occasional poster here. Those of you who there who know me, beers are on me next time I go through town. ****.

They brought that talentless asshole from Palm Beach to do only this.

I always enjoyed my dealings with him, but I understand the sentiment. I didn't mean to make this thread about Ronnie, though. Just wanted to mention a guy who I like personally and know is going through a tough time. Everybody at the AJC is hurting right now.

I believe Simon was referring to the publisher who slashed PB and then was promoted to Atlanta, not Ronnie. IIRC, Ronnie didn't work in PB -- Miami and I think Fort Myers.

 

[mustangj17]

Thanks for the vine, moddy. I just wish it didn't have to do with this subject.

This, combined with the A2 news from Monday, makes it imperative for EVERYONE in this business to have a bailout plan.

Easier said than done, sometimes, I'm afraid

No jobs to bail us out.

 

[Drip]

**** me. This is sickening.

They got rid of 48 part-timers and are dumping another 90 or so full-timers? Holy ****, that's about 140 people, <i>all from the newsroom</i>. Is this the biggest newsroom-only cut we've seen that didn't involve a paper basically closing down? I can't think of one this big before.

The AJC is really in some major trouble. I fear greatly that Atlanta is surging closer to the lead in the race to become the first major U.S. city to be without a newspaper. I don't know how much more of this I can handle.

Thoughts go out to everyone there, including Ronnie Ramos, a great guy and an occasional poster here. Those of you who there who know me, beers are on me next time I go through town. ****.

They brought that talentless asshole from Palm Beach to do only this.

I always enjoyed my dealings with him, but I understand the sentiment. I didn't mean to make this thread about Ronnie, though. Just wanted to mention a guy who I like personally and know is going through a tough time. Everybody at the AJC is hurting right now.

I believe Simon was referring to the publisher who slashed PB and then was promoted to Atlanta, not Ronnie. IIRC, Ronnie didn't work in PB -- Miami and I think Fort Myers.

His name is Doug Franklin. By the way, there are many well known scribes with less than five years in Atlanta.