May 7, 2009

Massive layoffs at the Union-Tribune

It was expected that Platinum Equity would make job cuts a centerpiece of its restructuring plan at the San Diego Union-Tribune and today we learn their magnitude. Beverly Hills-based Platinum, which completed its purchase of the paper three days ago, announced that it would slash 192 positions between now and July 6.

The layoffs represent about 18 percent of the total workforce and will cut across all departments - there is no breakdown for how many newsroom staffers will be lost. About 850 employees will remain once the layoffs are completed.

The Union-Tribune story about the cuts notes that the paper just won a fourth Pulitzer Prize this year, for editorial cartoonist Steve Breen.

(Union-Tribune via Romenesko)

3 comments:

pasadenapio said...

It has hurt my heart to see what's been happening to my hometown newspaper. To see it change hands, away from Copley, is unreal. Helen Copley from the time I was growing up until her death a few years ago. Very sad.

pasadenapio said...

I meant to say that Helen Copley was a mainstay in San Diego from the time...

Anonymous said...

Wait till the little genius gets through. These days will look downright great.