Sarasota Daily Makes Good on Layoffs Promise

By: The Sarasota Herald-Tribune laid off 33 staffers Tuesday, the publisher at The New York Times Co. paper told The Associated Press.

Diane McFarlin said the staff cuts affected newsroom and business employees roughly equally. Newspaper executives were not immediately able to provide a number on the paper's total employees.

The Herald-Tribune had average daily circulation of 114,904 in the six months ended March 31, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations.

McFarlin said she did not think The New York Times Co. made cuts at any of its other regional papers or at the flagship daily in New York.

Representatives from the New York Times did not immediately return calls for comment.

Two weeks ago, New York Times Co. reported an 11 percent drop in second-quarter advertising revenue as shifting reader habits and ad spending combined with the worsening economy. Scores of papers around the country have been reducing staff to lower costs this year.

The New York Times paper announced earlier this year that it would lay off 100 people to help trim costs, which are also affected by higher newsprint prices.

Tribune Co. has made drastic staff cuts, shedding 250 at its Los Angeles Times paper and more than 80 at its flagship Chicago Tribune daily.