• by Ray Schultz , January 26, 2025

Workers at the Chicago Sun-Times and NPR radio station WBEZ may soon experience a staff reduction.

Chicago Public Media, the nonprofit that owns the Sun-Times and WBEZ, is hoping to save from $3 million to $5 million in annual expenses with the departure of 20 to 30 people, WBEZ reports. 

The cuts will hit both entities, but the Sun-Times will bear the brunt of them, starting in mid-March. 

In addition, there will be discussions about reimposing the Sun-Times paywall, which was eliminated in 2022 after Chicago Public Media took over, says Melissa Bell, CEO of Chicago Public Media. They will also discuss other options for raising revenue.

Sun-Times staff and non-newsroom employees at WBEZ will be offered voluntary buyout incentives. 

“Our hope is that this action and other efforts will reduce our costs so that we can avoid more significant cost-cutting measures down the road,” Bell says in a letter to donors.

Bell adds, “This is a proactive decision that allows us to align our organization’s size with our goals while strengthening our most valuable and impactful initiatives and ensuring our financial sustainability. While we’ve made strides in adapting to the rapidly changing media landscape, these efforts haven’t yet translated into the sustainable revenue we need.”