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Tuesday, July 3, 2012

City / Media More Layoffs Coming at the Seattle Times

Posted by Eli Sanders on Tue, Jul 3, 2012 at 2:42 PM

Six months ago, I wrote a similar headline. Today, after hearing from a source inside the Times that "we have some layoffs coming," I asked the newspaper's spokeswoman, Jill Mackie, whether additional cuts are indeed on the way.

"Yes," she replied, explaining:

While the deepest impacts of the recession have softened, there are still some lingering effects. To the degree possible, we have managed these impacts by remaining laser focused on keeping our costs in alignment with anticipated revenue on an ongoing basis. As a part of this, we have been reworking our workflow and systems in the company to find efficiencies. Some of these efforts result in our ability to accomplish our work with fewer people.

Regrettably, there will be a very modest number of reductions in staff—a combination of voluntary departures and limited layoff. Details are still being worked out. Departures are likely to occur between early August and the end of September.

UPDATE: Mackie adds that the current number of expected departures—whether through layoffs or "voluntary separations"—is "approximately 12."

That's for the whole Seattle Times operation, which currently has over 1,000 full- and part-time employees.

In the newsroom, which has about 200 employees, Mackie said the number is expected to be "in the single digits."

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Whenever someone says "laser focus" all I hear is "giant douche bag."

Posted by -J on July 3, 2012 at 2:45 PM

Oh well...crappy newspaper anyway. Sucks it's going to happen but whatcha gonna do?

Posted by Cato the Younger Younger on July 3, 2012 at 3:01 PM

Start with the editorial page staff.

Posted by I Got Nuthin' on July 3, 2012 at 3:02 PM

That was just a whole bunch of corporatespeak for "We still have our heads in the sand about this whole 'obsolete business model' thing, but we still gotta pay the bills. So yeah, your ass is canned."

Posted by tired and true on July 3, 2012 at 3:04 PM

It'd be easier to cut costs if they werent unionized, like The Stranger.

Posted by Sugartit on July 3, 2012 at 3:11 PM

It sucks and I feel bad for the staff involved.

On the plus, it moves it closer hopefully to the Blethens selling off their stake and control. Good riddance to them.

Posted by Joe Szilagyi

on July 3, 2012 at 3:14 PM

We get both the Times and the News-Tribune. I much prefer the News Tribune; it's somehow more news-papery. Hard to put into words. Better Sounders coverage, for one thing. Better local coverage. It's tough for the local Times staff, though. I don't hold them responsible for the editorial posturing of the owners.

Posted by MyDogBen on July 3, 2012 at 3:43 PM

Seattle will soon be town without a newspaper. Not that anyone'd notice.

Posted by tiktok on July 3, 2012 at 3:53 PM

I read "Regrettably, there will be a very modest number of reductions in staff" as "We regret that only a modest reduction in staff will be made."

Interesting choice of phrasing.

Posted by Kalakalot on July 3, 2012 at 3:54 PM

Maybe if it wasn't such a shitty paper with a warped editorial board, their subscriptions wouldn't be tanking.

Posted by Reverse Polarity on July 3, 2012 at 4:39 PM

@10: I don't believe readership is down at all. It's ad revenue that's down. After all, you must be reading if you have that opinion.

Posted by pkbrown on July 3, 2012 at 5:17 PM

@10 and 11, it's both. Their Ad department is selling display space at cost to the big boys.

Posted by heywhatsit!? on July 3, 2012 at 5:34 PM

What if the Times replaced its editorials with ads? Quality and revenue improvement in one decision.

Posted by Keister Button on July 3, 2012 at 5:49 PM

Keister: HA. AWESOME. Some discounted ads for local nonprofits would produce more revenue than right-wing talking points disguised as editorials, not to mention actually making the world a little better. Brilliant idea.

Posted by leek on July 3, 2012 at 6:09 PM

I grew up on the Seattle Times and respect them as a pretty important part of the community. But I'm not going to subscribe to them when:
a) they hide their solicitation mailings in anonymous envelopes. Have some pride: you're the Seattle Times.
b) their editorial page is written by amateur hacks. I'm fine with disagreeing with you, but at least make sense. The (lack of) reasoning beyond the McKenna endorsement, for example.

You shame the rest of the paper when junior high school students could do a better job on the editorial page.

Posted by zachd

on July 3, 2012 at 7:19 PM

If Joni Balter is one of the 12, then really it would be only 11. Cuz Balter adds no value whatsoever

Posted by JoniBalterSucks on July 3, 2012 at 9:11 PM

"laser focused," check.

"find efficiencies," check.

"ongoing basis"... hmmm, sorry, you only get full credit for "going forward."

(Jesus fuck. Everything is always ongoing, and we can't go backward. Can we STOP SAYING THAT STUPID SHIT ALREADY? ALL OF IT? PLEASE?!)

/rant

Posted by rob!

on July 3, 2012 at 9:29 PM

A month or so ago I made the comment in Crosscut that the PI had done a superior transition to the web with a rapid update bloggy style that makes the ST look more like a photography of an old newspaper put on the web. (I also called the PI a "SLOG for people who live in Arlington" and recently there has been some overlap in coverage and topics.)

From what I know the PI operates with a very small staff...not thousands...yet, again, what it does is very webby. I also note that it's community of Commenters (powered by Facebook) is diverse and growing each week. ST has a confusing mix of their own comment system (that I was banned from years ago) and a few articles that use Facebook.

Overall, because of the PIs growing web presence, the ST could disappear entirely and not be noticed.

Posted by Supreme Ruler Of The Universe

on July 3, 2012 at 10:53 PM

Circling the drain.

Posted by Pope Peabrain on July 4, 2012 at 9:37 AM

I miss having a real paper to read in the morning (and we actually had one to read in the evening also, in the last century). I'm amazed ST has so many newsroom employees, because most of their articles are reprints from other publications. I recently counted the ads in the whole paper and they totalled 1/3 of the pages. I still read the paper but I do it for free at Starbucks.

Posted by sarah70 on July 4, 2012 at 11:59 AM

@3: "Start with the editorial page staff."

And the opinion pages!

Posted by all papers could use less idiotic opinions on July 5, 2012 at 9:05 AM