Big Newspaper Publishers Cut Work Force 7% in 2011

By: Erik Sass | MediaPost

While 2011 saw fewer announcements of layoffs and buyouts in the newspaper industry than previous years, attrition continued quietly and relentlessly, with the nation’s biggest newspaper publishers trimming their combined work forces by 7.2% over the course of the year.

A survey of SEC filings from nine major publishers -- Gannett Co., McClatchy Co., New York Times Co., Washington Post Co., Lee Enterprises, A.H. Belo, E.W. Scripps, and Media General -- reveals the total newspaper headcount fell from 55,537 at the end of 2010 to 51,564 at the end of 2011.