UPDATED THURSDAY, OCT. 30
Management indicated today that about 20 newsroom staffers were laid off. Al Dia reportedly lost four to five editorial people as well, cutting its staff significantly from when it first launched.
Corporate announced that the Dallas Morning News was targeted to lose 50 positions from the news, production, customer retention call center and Al Dia.
When combined with the buyouts, the DMN newsroom lost about 46 positions throughout the process. The biggest losses were in lifestyles/arts, metro, photo and sports. Top managers estimated the staff size between 340 and 350.
Nearly all the roughly 20 were known in-house by day's end. We have broken down the cuts by department and by job type. We have only named employees who contacted us and gave permission, or were named elsewhere publicly.
BY DEPARTMENT
Business: 1
Copy desk: 1 (copy editor Pam Troboy, ptroboy [at] aol.com)
Lifestyles/arts*: 3 (food writer Joyce Saenz Harris, jesharris [at] sent.com; home/garden writer Paige Phelps)
Metro*: 5 (assistant editor Clay Morton, claymorton55 [at] msn.com; reporter Marice Richter, mhrichter [at] verizon.net; assistant editor Eric Garcia)
National/international*: 1 (assistant editor Tina Pania, tpania1 [at] yahoo.com)
News art: 1
Photo: 3 (photographer Milton Hinnant)
Sports: 4 (copy editor David Hinojosa, Dhinojosa [at] aol.com)
* -- formerly known as
BY JOB TYPE
Assistant editor: 4
Copy editor: 4
Graphic artists/page designer: 1
Photographer: 1
Photo editor: 2
Reporter: 7
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3 comments:
In addition to 1 photographer, there were also 2 photo editors.
Seven years ago today, the DMN laid me off. The memories of that day are fresh at the moment after reading this blog. I had taken the day off to celebrate my birthday. My plans included going to a museum luncheon coordinated by my editor's wife, but that morning, my editor got me on the phone to tell me I needed to come in. (I gave away my $18 luncheon ticket.) The torturous part was that I wasn't told my fate until late in the day. I went ahead and recorded an interview on TXCN promoting my story that would be on the cover of our section on Sunday. I had lunch with my usual group in the cafeteria. I attended the section's planning section -- all the while waiting to be led to slaughter. When the time actually came, it was as bad as I expected.
To all of you who were laid off yesterday, my heart goes out to you. For what it is worth, my advice is to keep in touch with the friends you have made at the DMN. Not only are these talented, dedicated and darn nice people -- for the most part -- but also, networking is the best way to survive. Apply for unemployment -- something I was too proud to do and now regret. And move on with your life.
From a near-forgotten 10/25, I wish the 10/24s the best of luck!
(But I still think the DMN owes me $18 for that luncheon ticket!)
sadly the newsroom is less diverse with the lost of at least six minorities, including several editors.
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