• by Ray Schultz , March 23, 2025

The Philadelphia Inquirer has shut down its communities and engagement desk -- resulting in a staff layoff, Axios reports. 

However, the NewsGuild Union charged that the closure reflects a retreat from the Inquirer’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).  

In January, the company identified 10 jobs to be eliminated, including eight within the newsroom, CEO Lisa Hughes told the staff in an email on Friday.

The company and the NewsGuild union offered buyout packages and more generous separation terms than were called for by the contract, Axios adds.