Journal Register Shuts Down 16 Connecticut Weeklies

 

NEW HAVEN, CT (December 19, 2008) – The Journal Register Co. told employees at a meeting last evening their 16 weekly newspapers where closed immediately, and that 21 reporters and editors are out of work starting today.

John Slater, the general manager, told the gathering at the New Haven Register plant that the eight weeklies in the company's Shoreline division and the eight weeklies in the Elm City group were shutting down.

The company had earlier announced plans to close down two of their daily papers, the Bristol Press and the New Britain Herald, along with 11 weekly papers in their Imprint chain if a buyer isn't found by January 12, 2009.

Those plans are still active, as well as possible layoffs pending at the chain's flagship, the New Haven Register.

When the former Journal Register CEO Robert M. Jelenic died just a few weeks ago from cancer, he was so poorly regarded by his former employees that many of them filled a Yahoo Finance message board with what Gawker described as "nasty, bile-filled remembrances." Jelenic was once profiled by Forbes under the headline, "Cheapskate Journalism."

 

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