The Philadelphia Inquirer reduced its writing workforce by 20% - 71 people will lose their jobs. That is the second round of layoffs in less than 12 months. This type of news has become ordinary throughout the news industry. I believe it will have a long-term affect on the industry and may spur innovations in the web world visa vie bloggers and web version of the daily newspaper. In fact, I view Real Clear Politics as the business model for the newsppaer of the future (lotta opinion and voices). My last word for now is the layoffs must be creating a bunch of bitter employees and career jouralists and will the smaller revenue pie ever affect the high-paid big shots like Couric, Brian Williams, O'Reilley ( who toil in slightly different venues I admit) ?
Here is the article "The Philadelphia Inquirer's newsroom staff will shrink by nearly 20 percent in two weeks as the paper revamps itself into a local and regional publication with a growing online presence anchored by a redesigned Web site.
Yesterday, 71 editorial jobs among about 400 at the newspaper were on the list to be eliminated as of Jan. 17. Jay Devine, spokesman for owner Philadelphia Media Holdings, said three people had been offered other positions within the company and 68 were slated to be laid off. Union officials said the final layoff figure also would depend on how many workers volunteer to leave or decide to retire.
The Inquirer will focus more on local and regional news, as well as expand its presence online, Devine said. On Tuesday, the company unveiled its Phillycars.com Web site for car listings.
In March, McClatchy Co. became the owner of the Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News as part of its acquisition of Knight Ridder. McClatchy sold the papers three months later to Philadelphia Media Holdings, an investment group led by Brian Tierney, now the papers' chief executive and publisher.
Natalie Pompilio, a reporter who had won national honors for her work, was among those laid off this week. "I feel bad for myself, and I feel really bad for my colleagues who are staying, because I don't know what the current ownership considers journalism," she said as she drove home yesterday with her belongings. "I'm just kind of shocked, the way the whole thing went down. I thought I'd done a lot of good work for the paper."
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Natalie Pompilio did some amazing work for a paper that repaid her by kicking her out. I know I speak for many she's leaving behind when I say we can't wait for her first Pulitzer acceptance speech.
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