Fishwrap of Record slashes jobs

By Michelle Malkin  •  October 19, 2009 03:19 PM

Tough times at the NYTimes:

October 19, 2009 , 2:49 pm
Times Says It Will Cut 100 Newsroom Jobs
By Richard Perez-Pena

The New York Times plans to eliminate 100 newsroom jobs – about 8 percent of the total – by year’s end, offering buyouts to union and non-union employees, and resorting to layoffs if it cannot get enough people to leave voluntarily, the paper announced on Monday.

The program mirrors one carried out in the spring of 2008, when the paper erased 100 positions in its newsroom, though other jobs were created, so the net reduction was smaller. That round of cuts included some layoffs of journalists – about 15 to 20, though The Times would not disclose the actual figure – which was the first time in memory that had happened.

The paper has made much deeper reductions in other, non-newsroom departments, where layoffs have occurred several times. But the advertising drop that has pummeled the industry has forced cuts in the news operation, as well. The newsroom already has lowered its budgets for free-lancers and trimmed other expenses, and employees took a 5 percent pay cut for most of this year.

Nearly all metropolitan papers have been cutting their news operations for years, and some have fewer than half as many people in their newsrooms as they did in 2000.

The Times’ news department peaked at more than 1,330 employees before the last round of cuts. The current headcount is about 1,250; no other American newspaper has more than about 750.

Wonder if the NYT’s “opinion media monitor” position is on the chopping block, too?

Posted in: New York Times

See what others have said

Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.

Trackbacks

  1. The City Square

Trackback URL

Comments


  1. #826659
    On October 19th, 2009 at 3:21 pm, chapoutier said:

    Hey, MM.

    Seen this?

    Today, via The NYTpicker, the New York Times buried a note today in their corrections column:

    …In a subsequent letter to (Charles) Pelton – which was sent to The Times by Mr. Pelton’s lawyer – Mr. Brauchli now says that he did indeed know that the dinners were being promoted as “off the record,” and that he and Mr. Pelton had discussed that issue.

  2. #826660
    On October 19th, 2009 at 3:22 pm, Freddy said:

    Looks like they gonna be putting out more ‘HOT’ stories like todays chamber of commerce lie.

    How long till they just give it all up?

  3. #826662
    On October 19th, 2009 at 3:23 pm, letget said:

    I smell another taxpayer bailout!
    L

  4. #826664
    On October 19th, 2009 at 3:26 pm, ajmontana said:

    Fishwrap of Record

    not even! I would not ruin a wild caught salmon in that rag.

  5. #826669
    On October 19th, 2009 at 3:32 pm, One_American said:

    The New York Times can afford to slash those 100 jobs – you see, when you get all your news direct from the Obama administration, you can cut out the middle man…

  6. #826671
    On October 19th, 2009 at 3:36 pm, One_American said:

    The New York Times can afford to slash those 100 jobs – you see, when you get all your news propaganda direct from the Obama administration, you can cut out the middle man…

    There. Fixed it.

  7. #826674
    On October 19th, 2009 at 3:41 pm, Flyoverman said:

    AMF

  8. #826675
    On October 19th, 2009 at 3:42 pm, TooMuchTime said:

    A little of the People’s Karaoke for everyone. It’s called The Times We Ain’t a-Changing. Sung to the Dylan tune The Times They Are a-Changing.

    There’s even a midi file to sing along to.

  9. #826677
    On October 19th, 2009 at 3:43 pm, John Deaux said:

    How are they going to stay ahead on stories like Van Jones and ACORN with fewer people?

  10. #826679
    On October 19th, 2009 at 3:46 pm, RTater said:

    Sure, but how many jobs did they save?

  11. #826680
    On October 19th, 2009 at 3:46 pm, Dexter Alarius said:

    Rush Limbaugh should form a company called the Democratic People’s Progressive Leftie News Company, Inc. and buy the paper.

  12. #826681
    On October 19th, 2009 at 3:47 pm, redc1c4 said:

    ain’t that a shame…..

    the only sad part of the story is that they aren’t laying off more people or closing completely, but that day will come.

    pass the popcorn please!

  13. #826686
    On October 19th, 2009 at 3:49 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    Times Says It Will Cut 100 Newsroom Jobs

    Later, the paper retracted after discovering it had no newsroom…

  14. #826687
    On October 19th, 2009 at 3:50 pm, Pasadena Phil said:

    Very soon there will be no one left to make up the news!

  15. #826688
    On October 19th, 2009 at 3:51 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    Whatever happened to the Charge a Lot for all of Maureen Dowd’s Addicted Readers business model?

  16. #826693
    On October 19th, 2009 at 3:54 pm, TooMuchTime said:

    Later, the paper retracted after discovering it had no newsroom…

    AlohaGuy, you slay me! That one gets the gold star!

  17. #826696
    On October 19th, 2009 at 3:58 pm, mattm said:

    I guess they realized that the WH is their newsroom now.

  18. #826697
    On October 19th, 2009 at 4:00 pm, conservative in europe said:

    If the NY Times went out of business, what crossword puzzle could people brag about being able to do?

    It’s all they have left to offer.

  19. #826703
    On October 19th, 2009 at 4:04 pm, tre said:

    How will people light campfires or house break their dogs?

  20. #826706
    On October 19th, 2009 at 4:05 pm, Flyoverman said:

    It would be delicious to know how many of the NYT cast offs apply with Fox News. :)

  21. #826708
    On October 19th, 2009 at 4:06 pm, Atlanta Media Guy said:

    How hard can it be to reprint the propaganda releases from Gibbs and Dunn at the White House Communications Division.

  22. #826711
    On October 19th, 2009 at 4:12 pm, Flyoverman said:

    On October 19th, 2009 at 4:06 pm, Atlanta Media Guy said:

    How hard can it be to reprint the propaganda releases from Gibbs and Dunn at the White House Communications Division Ministry of Truth .

    FIFY

  23. #826716
    On October 19th, 2009 at 4:21 pm, regularguy said:

    If the New York Times goes under, what will I use to cover the floor when I’m stripping paint off furniture?

  24. #826721
    On October 19th, 2009 at 4:25 pm, vatodio said:

    How many more slashing and cuttings to GO?

    NYT’s slow torturous death march to oblivion is too much for me.

    Does Obama’s media Czar have powers of “Death Panels” which can swiftly pull the life support and end NYT’s misery?

  25. #826727
    On October 19th, 2009 at 4:36 pm, rambler said:

    Time to get out the violins!!! The NYT made a clear choice to stop reporting the news so they could deal in propaganda. The faster they sink, the better. Just think of the environment pluses of not cutting trees to print that paper. Al Gore would be proud!!!

  26. #826731
    On October 19th, 2009 at 4:46 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    TooMuchTime said:

    :)

  27. #826733
    On October 19th, 2009 at 4:47 pm, drfredc said:

    Anyone want to lay odds if it came to a choice between laying off a conservative (if there are any) employee or liberal one, who they’d lay off first?

  28. #826737
    On October 19th, 2009 at 4:53 pm, Flyoverman said:

    On October 19th, 2009 at 4:21 pm, regularguy said:

    If the New York Times goes under, what will I use to cover the floor when I’m stripping paint off furniture?

    Your 2010 Census Form?

  29. #826761
    On October 19th, 2009 at 5:25 pm, California Red said:

    If I were selling a product, Mr. and Mrs. America would have no idea whether I was conservative or liberal. If you are obviously biased one way or another, you are alienating 1/2 of your potential customer base. Yet, there is no ideological adjustment taking place at any newspaper. These liberal media institutions are just handing the competition customers. Is it no coincidence that FNC and WSJ are booming because they offer balanced counterpoint.

  30. #826769
    On October 19th, 2009 at 5:38 pm, babiesgrandma said:

    “New York Times, your stateroom is ready on the SS Titanic. All aboard!”

  31. #826772
    On October 19th, 2009 at 5:42 pm, regularguy said:

    Your 2010 Census Form?

    Of course, thank you.

  32. #826781
    On October 19th, 2009 at 5:53 pm, beenthere said:

    Could this mean that David Brooks will soon be sending out his resume? It’s a delightful thought, but he could probably find work anywhere in the MSM as a house “conservative.” Heck, he could even find work at the White House with no problem.

  33. #826792
    On October 19th, 2009 at 6:19 pm, bradley said:

    I loved it back when the Times tried to charge actual money to read Dowd, Krugman, Brooks, et al, and found that no one was buying. So they went back to giving it away for free, which means it’s STILL overpriced.

  34. #826796
    On October 19th, 2009 at 6:33 pm, Hangfire said:

    Can’t stand the WaPo. Anyone that would hire Art Buchwald……

  35. #826799
    On October 19th, 2009 at 6:43 pm, WarEagle82 said:

    This has to be fake. There haven’t been any actual “journalists” at the NYT for decades…

    The program mirrors one carried out in the spring of 2008, when the paper erased 100 positions in its newsroom, though other jobs were created, so the net reduction was smaller. That round of cuts included some layoffs of journalists – about 15 to 20, though The Times would not disclose the actual figure – which was the first time in memory that had happened.

  36. #826801
    On October 19th, 2009 at 6:48 pm, Tennessee Dave said:

    Fishwrap of Record slashes jobs

    when you get all your news direct from the Obama administration, you can cut out the middle man

    The current headcount is about 1,250

    When the best use for your product is fishwrap, it would seem they could cut the entire 1,250 employees, cut out another middleman, and send the raw paper straight to a fish market.
    Buth then again, wouldn’t it be pathetic to see all those out of work hacks on street corners selling copies of “Journalism for Dummies.”

  37. #826828
    On October 19th, 2009 at 7:58 pm, Cicero said:

    The Times’ internal projections predict that its output of leftard propaganda could drop by as much as 12 percent as a result of the cuts.

  38. #826840
    On October 19th, 2009 at 9:09 pm, Pauldow said:

    I stopped getting the Hartford Courant last spring when I got a good offer to get the Wall Street Journal. (It’s actually delivered to my house by the same person.) What a difference in quality!

    I sent the Courant a letter explaining that I was looking for real news instead of feature stories filling up the front section. Every few weeks I get another offer to subscribe, but the only enticement they have is a discount. They just can’t understand that I would purchase the paper if it would inform me instead of trying to entertain me.

  39. #826863
    On October 19th, 2009 at 10:27 pm, Republicanvet said:

    On October 19th, 2009 at 3:49 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    Times Says It Will Cut 100 Newsroom Jobs

    Later, the paper retracted after discovering it had no newsroom…

    Months later, the paper retracted after discovering they got the story wrong.

  40. #826881
    On October 19th, 2009 at 10:59 pm, BayStateRepublican said:

    On October 19th, 2009 at 3:51 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    Whatever happened to the Charge a Lot for all of Maureen Dowd’s Addicted Readers business model?

    Times Select died a fast death, didn’t it?

  41. #826888
    On October 19th, 2009 at 11:14 pm, granite said:

    The Times has earned, and deserves, all the Schadenfreude being experienced at its expense.

  42. #826910
    On October 19th, 2009 at 11:52 pm, Marc said:

    Here are some places the New York Times could start pruning excess baggage that is not needed: 1) Roger Cohen. Cohen is an apologist for the government of Iran although after the fraudulent election, Cohen had to backtrack and offer some ginger criticism of Iranian government “excesses”. The hapless Wolf Blitzer at CNN did his best to try to rehabilitate Cohen 2) Nicholas Kritof. He has now written the same column about how wonderful and selfless he is and how bad Israel is at least 500 times 3) Clark Hoyt. He has written the same column fifty times about how there is no liberal bias at the Times, the editorials are all fair and the oped page reflects all points of view. All three of the above are useless.

  43. #826918
    On October 20th, 2009 at 12:01 am, WarEagle82 said:

    I wonder how much money the NYT could save by cutting Maureen Dowd? She is another NYT columnist that essentially writes the same column every week.

    Cut her column back to once a year and you could just run that same column 52 times a year and save a bundle!

    They have to learn to think outside the box at NYT if they want to survive…

  44. #826924
    On October 20th, 2009 at 12:16 am, On-my-soap-box said:

    I wonder if they will lay off the person who is in charge of reading conservative blogs, watches Beck or has a piano fall on his/her head with a news story attached?

  45. #826994
    On October 20th, 2009 at 8:55 am, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

    Ah, to die the Death of a Thousand Cuts-they deserve it. Even their Sports page has become a smart mouthed, smart Alec leftist waste-bleed Gray Lady, bleed.

    Yes, it might be nice if El Rushbo put together a group to buy the Times–then Axelrod and Emmanuel can tell both of PMSNBC viewers not to read it! Personally I would keep Maureen Dowd as comic relief-either that or she gets a job with the Hussein Obama Administration.

  46. #827000
    On October 20th, 2009 at 9:03 am, jangar said:

    October 19, 2009 , 2:49 pm
    Times Says It Will Cut 100 Newsroom Jobs

    …and send them back to their floor mopping and toilet cleaning positions.

  47. #827003
    On October 20th, 2009 at 9:07 am, jangar said:

    Flyoverman said:
    It would be delicious to know how many of the NYT cast offs apply with Fox News.

    Zero. They’ll return to mom’s basement and troll conservative blogs.

  48. #827014
    On October 20th, 2009 at 9:25 am, Dan Lee said:

    I wish Michelle would stop picking on the NYT.
    They really aren’t entirely worthless.. If they go under, lots of pet owners will have to find a new alternative for Paper Training..

    Ok not really.. Carry on Michelle.. =P

  49. #827072
    On October 20th, 2009 at 10:11 am, happy2behere said:

    A blessing upon them: May this be the beginning of many more cutbacks to come.

  50. #827084
    On October 20th, 2009 at 10:15 am, JeffC... said:

    Why doesn’t the Times follow the advice of their Nobel Prize winning economist and borrow and spend their way out of their current financial state?

    Oh, my bad–they tried that already. Maybe they should fire that economist for being wrong.

  51. #827335
    On October 20th, 2009 at 1:40 pm, jsr said:

    On October 20th, 2009 at 10:15 am, JeffC… said:

    Why doesn’t the Times follow the advice of their Nobel Prize winning economist and borrow and spend their way out of their current financial state?

    Better yet, why don’t they propose a 25% tax on newspaper purchases? This money will be pass through Washington and eventually some part returned to the newspapers in the forms of subsidies and government purchases of their rag. It won’t help their business but it may help their brain-dead staff understand the consequences of the policies they advocate for the rest of us.

  52. #829292
    On October 23rd, 2009 at 3:21 pm, cheapseat said:

    as alohaguy so correctly noted, the times has no newsroom, so could that 100 layoffs mean bad news for the AP. we can only hope. give that cow dowd the boot, she needs a good screwing over.

You must be logged in to post a comment.

A welcome message for the NYT’s new “opinion media monitor”

September 26, 2009 11:00 PM by Michelle Malkin

75 Comments | 20 Trackbacks

“Insufficient tuned-in-ness.”

What’s missing from the New York Times coverage of ACORN

September 16, 2009 12:09 AM by Michelle Malkin

89 Comments | 20 Trackbacks

Who said it: “The real story to all this is how these myriad entities allow them to shuffle money around so much that no one really knows what’s getting spent on what.”

Culture of Corruption stays at #1 for 5th week in a row

September 2, 2009 05:24 PM by Michelle Malkin

53 Comments | 3 Trackbacks

Political nepotism: Spot the missing words

August 31, 2009 10:35 PM by Michelle Malkin

32 Comments | 1 Trackback

Emetic of the day: The David Brooks-Barack Obama love story

August 31, 2009 12:26 PM by Michelle Malkin

90 Comments | 6 Trackbacks

Torrid.

The NYTimes-Wikipedia whitewash

June 29, 2009 06:32 AM by Michelle Malkin

42 Comments | 3 Trackbacks


Categories: New York Times



JustOneMinute

» Free Nate Silver!

Riehl World View

» Glenn Beck Is An Ass
Follow me on Twitter Follow me on Facebook