Local News Cuts Continue Producing Less Local News
McClatchy eliminated more than 90 unionized positions across 17 publications, including substantial reductions at the Miami Herald.
NEW YORK—McClatchy has eliminated more than 90 unionized journalism and media jobs across 17 publications, reducing the expense of covering communities by reducing the number of people available to cover them.
The cuts reached the Miami Herald, Sacramento Bee, Kansas City Star, Charlotte Observer and papers across the Pacific Northwest. More than 30 positions disappeared at the Miami Herald, amounting to over a third of its editorial staff, while smaller newsrooms lost reporters assigned to local government, schools and regional beats.
McClatchy described the reductions as part of a restructuring tied to subscriber demand and investment levels. The NewsGuild said the layoffs removed a large share of its represented workers at the chain. McClatchy is owned by Chatham Asset Management, which acquired the newspaper company after its 2020 bankruptcy.
The reductions followed earlier closures and layoffs, including the shutdown of McClatchy’s Washington bureau. They also arrived after disputes over company-produced artificial-intelligence summaries built from journalists’ work. Automation can rearrange reporting efficiently once someone has been retained to report it.
Local newspapers remain expected to monitor courts, councils, elections, schools and public spending with fewer employees in more places. The communities have not announced corresponding reductions in government. McClatchy has streamlined the portion assigned to watch it.
Sources: Associated Press: McClatchy cuts deepen a difficult summer for U.S. newsNewsGuild-CWA: effects of McClatchy layoffs on local coverageWPSU: McClatchy layoffs reach the Centre Daily Times
