The new owners of the San Diego Union-Tribune are already announcing staff cuts

 

The new owners of the San Diego Union-Tribune are already announcing staff cuts:

San Diego Union-Tribune Colleagues, We are pleased to announce that, effective today, the iconic San Diego Union-Tribune will join our portfolio of news organizations including MediaNews Group and Tribune Publishing Company, leaders throughout the nation in local news and community journalism. MediaNews Group will manage the operations of the Union-Tribune under a management services agreement.

This valued acquisition enables MediaNews Group to advance its stewardship in California as the largest provider of news and information across the state as we continue our commitment to ensure newspapers remain viable well into the future.

It’s no secret that our industry faces substantial revenue pressures brought on by big tech aggregators who redistribute our original content for their own profit, at the expense of our staff, diminishing our readership and causing declining advertising and circulation revenues. Despite impressive news reporting and a hardworking staff, the U-T has not been immune to these pressures.

No different than the changes announced at the Los Angeles Times last month, the U-T will also need to make some difficult staffing decisions as we assume management.

Reductions will be necessary to offset the slowdown in revenues as economic headwinds continue to impact the media industry. We will seek efficiencies in business operations, distribution and production while striving to support and prioritize the robust, local newsgathering needed to serve the communities that rely on the Union-Tribune for excellence in journalism.

More information will be provided throughout the day on changes you can expect, including buyouts we are offering in an effort for staff reductions to be voluntary.

We look forward to working with you to meet the challenges of our industry and deliver on the Union-Tribune’s commitment to the people of San Diego.