TACOMA — On the same day that the Seattle Post-Intelligencer announced it would cease printing and cut its staff, newspapers in Tacoma and Olympia also announced layoffs.
The News Tribune of Tacoma said Monday it would reduce its staff by 30, including six jobs in the newsroom, while The Olympian is cutting 15 positions. Jobs will be lost in all areas of the newspapers.
The two newspapers are owned by The McClatchy Co., which announced last week a 15 percent job reduction companywide, amounting to about 1,600 jobs.
The McClatchy-owned News &Observer Publishing Co. said Monday it will reduce wages for many employees, impose unpaid furloughs and eliminate 11 percent of its work force, including 27 newsroom positions at its flagship newspaper in Raleigh, N.C. Papers in South Carolina, Kansas and Texas announced their reductions earlier.
Both The News Tribune and The Olympian also announced staff pay cuts. Everyone at the Olympian who makes more than $25,000 a year will see a 5 percent cut in pay. Pay cuts at the News Tribune will be 10 percent for anyone making more than $100,000 a year, and 5 percent for those making between $25,000 and $100,000.
“These cuts, though painful, move us much closer to a new business model with greater flexibility, a lower cost basis and a much higher chance of success than the traditional print model,” News Tribune publisher Dave Zeeck said in an e-mail to staff Monday morning.
The Olympian staff was also told that all its newspaper production would be moving to Tacoma, including copy editing.
On Monday, the P-I announced it would print its final edition today, becoming an online-only publication. The P-I had 181 employees, but managing editor David McCumber said the online version would have about 20 in its newsroom and another 20 to sell ads.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
