Several California newsrooms have been decimated in a brutal round of layoffs.
McClatchy, the media giant behind The Miami Herald and The Sacramento Bee, announced the severe cuts Thursday, with some newsrooms losing as much as 40% of their staff.
More than 90 journalists nationwide were affected, according to estimates from unions representing workers at various McClatchy-owned papers, Poynter reported.
A man looks at a Sacramento Bee newspaper rack on March 10, 2006, in Sacramento, California. McClatchy Company, the publisher of the Sacramento Bee, is said to lead bidding for Knight Ridder newspapers. Getty Images
“McClatchy has decided that short-term profits for a hedge fund matter more than the wellbeing of the communities that its newspapers are supposed to serve,” the Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild, said in a statement. “That is a model that is destined to fail.”
The cuts were felt at more than a dozen papers across the country, including Northern California’s Modesto Bee and The Fresno Bee. It hit not only reporters, but videographers and photographers as well.
The Sacramento Bee lost at least 10 journalists, while The Fresno Bee cut seven reporters. The Modesto Bee was also hit by layoffs but the total was not clear.
A woman walks by a Sacramento Bee newspaper rack on Friday, March 10, 2006, in Sacramento, California. McClatchy Company, the publisher of the Sacramento Bee, is reportedly leading the bidding for the Knight Ridder newspaper chain. Getty Images
Those laid off include Civic Watchdog Reporter David Taub, longtime staff photographer and videographer Craig Kohlruss, reporter Maria G. Ortiz-Briones and accountability reporter Melissa Montalvo, GV Wire reported.
Several California newsrooms have been decimated in a brutal round of layoffs. Bloomberg via Getty Images
Kathleen Quinn, civics and democracy reporter for The Modesto Bee, updated her LinkedIn account to announce she had been let go after two years with the company.
“To say I’m extremely disappointed in McClatchy Media doesn’t really scratch the surface of what I feel knowing how many incredibly talented people were laid off today in some of the most critical positions in our industry,” she wrote on social media. “Please hire these folks.”
Kathleen Quinn. UC Berkley
Sacramento Bee investigative reporter Ariane Lange called it a brutal blow to the company’s newsrooms.
“This is definitely the bloodiest round of layoffs in quite some time at McClatchy.”
The company said the cuts are part of a broader restructuring plan, according to a notice sent to the Pacific Media Workers Guild.
Fresno Bee reporter Maria Ortiz-Briones. USC Annenberg
“McClatchy is reshaping its newsroom structure to more closely align resources with changing subscriber interests and the ways audiences engage with local news,” the notice read.
“As part of this change, we’re focusing resources on journalism that subscribers value and that can have the highest impact in the communities we serve.”
The Charlotte Observer’s building is shown on Friday, March 10, 2006, in Charlotte, North Carolina. The California-based McClatchy Co. leads the bidding for the sale of newspaper group Knight Ridder, parent company of the Observer. Getty Images
“This change is not a reflection of the individual’s performance or contributions, but of our commitment to positioning the organization for long-term sustainability and growth.”
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The cuts are expected to affect coverage of government, education, accountability and sports.
In 2020, the once-giant media company filed for bankruptcy, and was acquired by the private investment firm Chatham Asset Management.
As recently as last year, a McClatchy bureau in Washington, D.C. closed, followed this year by the sale of two of its Georgia papers.