'Dallas Morning News' To Slash 85 Newsroom Jobs

By: Jennifer Saba The Dallas Morning News said this morning it is cutting 85 jobs in the newsroom, about 17% of the editorial staff, in preparation for a major restructuring.

The paper currently counts 500 employees in editorial, including interactive.

Executives are offering voluntary buyout packages to all employees. However, if not enough people apply, management could resort to laying off staffers.

"As the newspaper industry adapts to fundamental changes, The Dallas Morning News is shifting resources to meet evolving reader and consumer needs," Publisher Jim Moroney said in a statement. "Continual change is the new constant in our business, but it is not for everyone. Therefore, we are offering a voluntary severance package to those who may prefer another work environment."

The buyout package includes two weeks of base pay per year of continuous employment up to 15 years, plus three weeks of salary for each year of service that exceeds 15 years. An additional lump-sum payment equal to 12 months of the employee's currently applicable COBRA healthcare premium is also part of the deal.

Editor Bob Mong told E&P the package was on a first-come, first-served basis. ?We will go through a process and see how many people apply,? he said. The buyout period is expected to end on Sept. 15.

?Our goal is to really synchronize our staff size with the economic realities of the time,? Mong noted, ?and to continue to be the leading news and information source? in the area.

A "significant reorganization" of the newsroom will be announced in November, he added.

The Dallas Morning News is following the lead of many other metro papers across the country, which have been struggling for circulation and advertising revenue.

In a report released last week, Bear Stearns analysts Alexia Quadrani wrote she expects many newspapers to swing the axe because of weak advertising revenue forecasted for the remainder of the year. The research firm estimates that from the beginning of the year through June, the industry shed about 950 jobs, compared with 450 for the same period a year ago.