With less advertising, hypoed by the coronavirus, more publishers are being forced to slash jobs — or worse, finds Grumpy Editor.
Latest newspaper to call it quits is the Glendale (Calif.) News-Press. Established in 1905, lack of advertising forced it to roll out its final edition on Saturday.
The Washington Post’s Jonathan O’Connell points out “cuts to the industry have accelerated so greatly that groups representing journalists have taken a maybe unprecedented step and asked the government to help, by keeping the industry afloat financially during the pandemic and seeding its resurgence once the economy begins to recover."
O’Connell reports Jon Schleuss, president of the NewsGuild labor union says, "We have to treat this as an emergency" and "there is a real interest in public health to keep people informed in this crisis.”
Since the pandemic began, newspaper chains have instituted furloughs of 10 percent to 25 percent of their staffs.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer, which covers a metropolitan area of more than 2 million people, lost 28 of its 32 union journalists this month due to new cuts.
Newspapers in Seattle, Portland, Boston, Sacramento, Reno and elsewhere have suspended print operations and furloughed their staffs, according to the Poynter Institute, St. Petersburg, Florida.
Cutbacks in advertising are "dealing a sharp and immediate blow to local news publishing," says News Media Alliance president and chief executive David Chavern. "If this continues, there won't be local journalism in many communities.”
IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...
ANIMAL SHELTERS EMPTYING. Animal shelters across the U.S. are emptying amid the coronavirus pandemic. People forced to wait out the pandemic at home are adopting and fostering shelter dogs and cats to keep them company. The shelters are thrilled. Example: Workers and volunteers at the Friends of the Palm Beach County (Florida) Animal Care and Control celebrate when the usually-packed kennel goes empty for the first time, stemming from lonely humans stuck at home seeking companionship.
LIFE INSURERS SHELVE SENIOR APPLICATIONS. Some U.S. life insurers are deciding not to gamble on older Americans during the coronavirus crisis by temporarily suspending applications from certain age groups or imposing tougher requirements.
FORTUNE MAGAZINE TRIMS STAFF. Fortune magazine cuts 35 staffers and CEO Alan Murray is taking a 50 percent pay cut.
NBC NEWSCAST AIMED AT YOUNGSTERS. NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt is leading an experimental version of the network’s flagship newscast aimed specifically at children and teens. “Nightly News Kids Edition” streams on YouTube and is likely to appear at least twice a week and perhaps with greater frequency.
VETS GET HOTEL ROOMS. The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to distribute $200 million to ease the burden on homeless shelters during the coronavirus pandemic and buy hotel rooms for veterans in need of help.
ESPN CUTS PAY. With sports events on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic, ESPN asks its 100 commentators to take a 15 percent pay cut over the next three months.
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