By: E&P Staff The Tribune Co.-mandated layoffs came to the Los Angeles Times late Monday, and it wasn't pretty. The newspaper reported Tuesday morning that about 160 jobs had been eliminated, including 60 editorial positions.
Two-thirds of those journalists took voluntary buyouts.
In addition, two newspapers in the Inland Empire area that the Times owns were shut down, with staffers let go or "relocated to other parts of the company," the Web site L.A. Observed reported. The Times reported that an additional 30 jobs were cut at various Times affiliates, "including the Recycler, Times Community News and California Community News."
The two papers, which the Times owns through its Times Community News unit, are the Rancho Cucamonga Voice and Claremont/Upland Voice.
In a memo sent to staff late on Monday, Times editor John Carroll said that all 42 staffers who applied for voluntary buyouts had been informed that they were accepted, and 20 more employees were laid off. He wrote:
"All of the people who are leaving have made meaningful contributions to the paper and to life in the newsroom. We are sorry to be losing them. This is a wrenching time for them, and all for those who are staying, some of whom are taking on more responsibility.
"In recent years, this staff has shown tht it can make an already impressive newspaper steadily stronger. With your inspired work, that trend can continue in the months to come, and it can continue rapidly. It is crucial that this episode of cost cutting prove to be nothing more than that: a bump in the road, not a change in direction. I appreciate all that you are doing for the Los Angeles Times."
Among those taking the buyout were metro reporter turned novelist Dave Ferrell.
Faltering ad revenues at the Times led to the cutbacks. Tribune also ordered cuts at several other papers, including The Sun of Baltimore.
"At the end of 2003, the Times had 3,420 employees, including 1,110 editorial personnel," the Times reported.
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