San Diego, Gannett Newspapers Cut More Staff

San Diego TribuneThe recession may be ending, but no one told the newspaper business, where executives are swinging the ax with renewed vigor this week. The most prominent victims are the San Diego Union Tribune, where the new owner Platinum Equity is planning to cut 112 positions, and Gannett, which is laying off at least 70 employees from The Journal News in Westchester, N.Y.

The report of more layoffs at the San Diego Union Tribune is another demoralizing blow for the newspaper, which already lost 192 positions in the wake of its acquisition by Platinum Equity in May. Altogether, when the second round of layoffs is complete, the paper will have lost 304 positions out of a total 1,042, or 29% of its total staff, in just three months.

Some of the cuts may stir controversy by calling the newspaper's editorial integrity into question.

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Among those laid off were Bob Kittle, editor of the Editorial page, and Bernie Jones, editor of the Opinion page, whose jobs were cut just a few months after the San Diego Union Tribune came under pressure from one of its new co-owners, the public safety association representing Los Angeles police officers, for its op-ed stances. (Platinum Equity's funds included a $30 million investment from the pension fund for the LAPD, under the management of the Los Angeles Police Protective League.)

The editorial page of the Union Tribune a traditionally conservative paper, has been especially strident in denouncing public employee unions. In response, the Protective League has used its new partial ownership to put pressure on editorial bosses to either stop publishing critical op-ed pieces, or simply fire the offending columnists.

Sergeant Paul M. Weber, the Police Protective League president, complained in a public letter posted on the League's Web site that the San Diego Union Tribune "has one of the most virulently anti-public safety employee editorial sections of any newspaper in California, if not the country."

Furthermore, in a letter delivered to Tom Gores, the president and CEO of Platinum Equity, Weber wrote: "Since the very public employees they continually criticize are now their owners, we strongly believe that those who currently run the editorial pages should be replaced."

Also this week, Gannett announced plans to cut at least 70 of a total 288 positions at The Journal News, equal to about one-quarter of the staff. The remaining 218 employees will be required to "re-apply" for their current positions, suggesting that further cuts (either in personnel, salaries, or benefits) may be on the way.

Last week, the Gannett paper, which covers affluent New York suburbs, laid off 57 employees in ancillary areas, such as production, finance and IT. Rehiring decisions are expected the week of Aug. 24.

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