By: E&P Staff The San Francisco Chronicle, which continues to face budget constraints dating back to its merger with the former San Francisco Examiner four years ago, is planning significant cost-cutting measures, ranging from a 10% layoff of non-union management and support staff to cutbacks in cell-phone use and travel expenses, according to a memo issued by publisher Steven Falk.
"Improving our financial situation continues to be a serious challenge as revenues remain flat and the economy difficult," Falk said in a memo first posted on Poynter.org's Romenesko site Wednesday. "Throughout the company, department heads have been required to carefully review every expenditure with the goal of eliminating unnecessary costs. As a result, we are revising our parking policy, tightening controls on telephone and cell phone expenses and, for management and support staff, we are reducing the vacation time policy."
The memo offered few specifics, but indicated the cutbacks would begin with the Oct. 31 edition of the Sunday paper, which Falk stated will be reconfigured to eliminate two advance press runs.
"At the same time, TV Week will be condensed, while providing full daily listings in its current format," the memo added. "Consolidations will take place in movies and other highlights listings." Falk also said the paper would "reduce unprofitable circulation" but did not elaborate on what that meant specifically.
Falk's memo also stated the Chronicle would consider "reducing the width of half-rolls used to print the paper, the way we purchase PCs, (and) the way we manage parking lots."
The Chronicle, which recently announced a joint agreement with the local Newspaper Guild to cut back some health-care benefits and increase some health-insurance fees, has faced high costs since it agreed to provide jobs for all former San Francisco Examiner employees after selling the Examiner to another owner in 2000.
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