Buyouts and layoffs continue in the ever troubled news gathering sector as revenue and circulation continue to fall.
At the Beacon Journal in Akron buyouts and early retirement packages were offered to employees with a goal of shrinking the newsroom by 17%. 
Eighteen people stepped forward, which was enough payroll savings to avoid layoffs. In the photography department 30-year veteran Lew Stamp and Ken Love both opted for buyout packages. Stamp is pursuing freelance video work, while Love, who earlier this year went to part time status at the Beacon, will now be able to focus full time on his freelance business.
Three years ago the Beacon Journal had ten photographers – they number only five now. The staff cuts came on the heals of a single copy price hike and the elimination of several feature page sections. The paper also recently announced that has given its two year cancellation notice to the Associated Press. This follows notice by The Columbus Dispatch to do the same.
The Associated Press has announced that it will trim 10 percent of its work force over the next year as a cut in fees paid by member newspapers and a declining economy take their toll. The staff reduction will amount to a loss of more than 400 positions.
First there was OHNO, the publishers desperate attempt to deal with AP’s rate structure and their own shrinking newsrooms. Now comes the next joint venture – this one dealing with circulation. Beacon Journal carriers now deliver the Plain Dealer in the Beacon Journal circulation footprint. How far away are we from publishing “Ohio Today” and manning bureaus in our respective cities. Newspapermen like John S. Knight must be rolling over in their graves. You can read comments about OHNO by Plain Dealer editor Susan Goldberg here.
To the north at The Plain Dealer, a nervous staff waits to see if a layoff phone call will come on Dec 15. The paper had announced plans to cut 38 positions but increased the number to 50. Employees have been given until Nov. 20 to decide to leave voluntarily. If 50 don’t volunteer, the paper will then resort to layoffs. Employees (full story) have now been told they will be notified by phone on Dec 15 as to their fate.
Television is not immune to downsizing as the plug was pulled on an Akron news cable operation of Cleveland NBC affiliate WKYC-TV. While Gannett has been in the headlines for massive layoffs in its newspaper division there are some notable departures from its on-air personal at WKYC that are more than likely tied to the financial picture. Longtime anchor Tim White was not able to come to terms on a new contract. Veteran reporter Obie Shelton also failed to get a new contract.
Across town News Corporation announced that it will sell eight of its owned-and-operated FOX network affiliated television stations including FOX-8 in Cleveland to Oak Hill Capital Partners for $1.1 billion in cash.
In one of the more bazaar headlines dealing with cutbacks across the country at the Newark (NJ) Star-Ledger Assistant Deputy Photo Editor Mitchell Seide and reporter Jason Jett have been reassigned to the mail room. The pair declined a buyout offer. (Full story)