Spokesman-Review Cuts 25 More From Newsroom; Editor Resigns

 

SPOKANE, WA (October 1, 2008) – The publisher of The Spokesman-Review today announced a reorganization of the company, the elimination of 25 more jobs in the newsroom, and the resignation of editor Steven A. Smith.

Smith said in a company statement, "My resignation as editor of The Spokesman-Review should not overshadow the simultaneous layoff of more than 25 newsroom staffers. Those journalists losing their jobs are among the newspaper's best and brightest. I hired most of them. I pledge to do everything possible to help them find new opportunities in the profession we love."

Publisher W. Stacey Cowles said the changes including adopting a new format and reconfiguring distribution operations in an attempt to "deal with a deteriorating national economy and rising newsprint and delivery costs."

Today's cuts were the second time in a year that the newsroom has been downsized.

Smith was the newspaper's editor since July 2002 and is a national recognized voice in journalism ethics. His successor has not been named.

The Spokesman-Review's 2009 workforce will be about 470 people, Cowles said, down about 60 from 2008 staff levels. While some jobs have been eliminated through retirement and "voluntary resignations," Cowles said layoffs will be necessary. Cuts will be made in other departments, not just in the newsroom, and the severance package will be based on length of service with the company.

The paper's new format will be on newsprint that's 12 inches wide, instead of the 13-inch wide edition currently produced, and will debut in June with a "contemporary, modular approach that should offer advertisers – particularly classified advertisers – greater impact, while freeing up space that currently goes to 'filler' ads for use by the news department," according to the paper's director of sales and marketing.

The paper has also signed deals with Google, Amazon, and RealCities to develop "new capabilities in online delivery of its archives and marketing of its classified advertising products," the statement said.

 

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