By: E&P Staff Two New York Times Co. papers in Florida are merging their newsroom operations. The Gainesville Sun and Ocala Star-Banner will share copy desks, design, layouts, and pagination, both papers announced on Monday.
The Sun and Star-Banner will retain their identities and reporting staff. Both papers are in the process of undergoing redesigns. Earlier the New York Times merged the mailrooms of the Sun and Star-Banner.
To oversee the newsrooms, Jim Osteen has been appointed executive editor of both papers. He is currently the executive editor of the Sun. Tom McNiff managing editor of the Star-Banner will report to Osteen. McNiff will continue to direct daily news coverage of Ocala.
Allen Parsons, publisher of the Star-Banner, told the Sun, "Readers deserve and expect an Ocala Star-Banner to focus on their community and their lives. That is what we will continue to publish, in print and online. In becoming more efficient at news production, we don't intend to become less thorough at news gathering."
The New York Times would not reveal how much the company is saving by making this move. The Sun reported that some jobs would be eliminated.
Gainesville is about 50 miles north of Ocala. Both papers have roughly the same average daily circulation with the Sun at 44,658 and the Star-Banner at 45,425.
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