Memphis Newspaper Guild President and Commercial Appeal Reporter Daniel Connolly is hopeful, but not happy.
“Today’s cuts upset me and many others because they’re part of a long series of reductions,” he says, speaking on behalf of the Guild, and the employees it covers. “But l’m trying to stay focused and get the job done and I see a lot of other people around me doing the same.”
Two CA employees were laid off today. They weren’t Guild-covered and their names haven’t yet been released. More layoffs are expected.
Gannett’s newspaper products will be shrinking, even as the Commercial Appeal‘s parent company looks to expand its holdings. In advance of its third-quarter earnings announcement Thursday, and as the media giant appears to be working out details on a billion-dollar deal to acquire Tronc (The Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, etc,) Gannett announced it was laying off 2% if its workforce. Politico pegs that number as roughly 350-people, and speculates that harder hit properties may see a figure closer to 10%.
“Two people were let go today. Neither was Guild-covered so I’m not privy to information about them,” Connolly says. “Also, there were cuts at the Gannett newspaper in Jackson, Tennessee. Details of those are unclear, but the CA staff will be picking up some of those functions.Regarding other cuts this fall, [the Guild has] been working with the company on severance packages.”
More details to come.
