The Dallas Morning News is enacting layoffs in coming months — but is also making hires in its newsroom.
According to a statement, The Dallas Morning News will outsource its print page design operations, currently done in-house, to an external partner.
This shift aligns with the “centralized” design model implemented across Hearst Newspapers since 2023. Hearst acquired the newspaper in September 2025.
A statement from the Dallas News Guild, the staff’s union, is more specific, stating that 26 people are being let go, and that the layoff “is eliminating our entire copy desk — including the sports copy desk — and outsourcing the print production work.”
The guild called it a violation of a collective bargaining agreement with Hearst that “the employer may not seek to eliminate more than 20 employees as a result of the outsourcing during this Agreement.”
According to the Dallas Morning News, affected employees on the multiplatform desk were notified on November 18 and will receive severance packages. They’re also encouraged to apply for open positions within The Dallas Morning News, across Hearst Newspapers, and throughout Hearst’s broader businesses.
At the same time, 18 new roles will be created as part of continued efforts to invest in the newsroom under the leadership of Executive Editor Colleen Nelson.
“This evolution enables continued investment in reporting, storytelling and digital innovation—ensuring The Dallas Morning News remains focused on delivering high-impact journalism that serves North Texas communities,” their statement says.