By: Joe Strupp The Daily Press of Newport News, Va., will cut 14 jobs in several departments, the paper announced Tuesday, adding that the layoffs are the latest in a string of job cuts dating back three years.
"Layoffs and hiring freezes at the newspaper have come in small chunks, but collectively have decreased the employee count by close to 100 during the last few years," the paper reported. "Monday's layoffs were in a variety of positions in the newsroom, operations, finance and advertising departments."
Publisher Digby Solomon said the company "has tried to make cuts in areas that will impact readers the least or where there is some duplication. Some cuts the last few years have been a result of technology, but the newspaper will also look to add jobs in areas where it can generate revenue."
"Cutting reporters hurts the product," Solomon told the paper. "Cutting salespeople hurts the product."
The paper detailed its recent string of job losses that resulted in 94 cuts in three years. Those included: seventeen jobs cut with the closure of a printing plant later this month; a June 2007 buyout that eliminated 25 jobs; the loss of eight call center jobs in 2006 when parent company Tribune moved such operation to the Philippines; and a 2005 cutback in zoned editions that eliminated eight jobs and left 18 open positions permanently vacant.
The paper reported that the Daily Press daily circulation had dropped about 20% since 1995, standing currently at 81,000 and 105,000 on Sunday.
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