Layoffs Under Way at Ottaway Newspapers

By: Mark Fitzgerald Ottaway Newspapers is laying off an unspecified number of workers in a reduction of force that will amount to less than 5% of the community newspaper publisher's workforce.

Ottaway CEO John Wilcox said the reductions are not related to the coming sale of the chain, which was put on the market after Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. bought its parent, Dow Jones & Co.

The first reported layoffs came at the SouthCoast Media Group papers in New England, where five full-time and nine part-time employees were let go, according to an account on the southcoasttoday Web site by Steve De Costa.

The largest cut came in the newsroom of The Standard-Times in Bedford, Mass., where three full-time and three part-time employees were let go.

Three newsroom employees and eight other staffers were let go Thursday at the Mail Tribune in Medford, Ore., and The Ashland (Ore.) Daily Tidings, Greg Stiles reported in the Mail Tribune.

Wilcox said the chain had left positions opens and cut other expenses, but had to make the cuts at its eight media groups and corporate headquarters in Campbell Hall, N.Y.

"Newspaper companies across the country have been making adjustments to their workforce, seeking ways to become more efficient. Despite the dominance of our media groups in print and Internet in their markets, increased competition and changing economic conditions affect our ability to meet our goals," Wilcox said.

Ottaway publishes eight daily and 14 weekly newspapers in seven states.