Sun-Times Media Group Inc. will outsource its advertising production as it moves to cut newspaper expenses at its Chicago paper by $50 million in the first half of '08. Affinity Express Inc. will
handle most of the company's print and online ad production, which will result in staff cuts. Farther west, a dozen newspapers in the Bay Area will see across-the-board cuts, hopefully through buyouts
versus layoffs. Sixteen newspapers are involved, including the
Contra Costa Times and the
Oakland Tribune. The 1,100 Bay Area News Group employees get two weeks to decide if they wish to
apply for a buyout. If not enough employees respond, layoffs would probably begin in March.
