My friend, former colleague and father of three teeny children is “too young” to be part of this first phase of buyouts in Atlanta. Yuck. Makes me want to get to the bottom of the cost of newsprint.
Atlanta newspaper cutting staff by 200
By DORIE TURNER –
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is cutting its staff by nearly 200 jobs, or about 8 percent of its work force, and eliminating some targeted news sections.In a news release Wednesday, Publisher John Mellott said the moves are aimed at cutting expenses amid dwindling advertising revenues and steadily increasing fuel and newsprint costs. Mellott said the job cuts will be mainly in the news and advertising departments between August and October through voluntary buyouts and layoffs.
The newspaper will cut 85 positions from its newsroom, 27 of which are vacant, said Journal-Constitution spokeswoman Jennifer Morrow.
The company has a staff of 2,300 people, according to a news release. [...]
Total online and print readership is up 7 percent over last year, but the cost of newsprint has risen 35 percent in that time, Mellott said.It’s the second downsizing in two years at Georgia’s largest newspaper. In February 2007, the newspaper announced it was offering contract buyouts and reducing its circulation area. About 40 newsroom employees took those buyout offers, Morrow said.
