News: Washington Post to lay off staff amid growing anxiety

Employee Relations

Washington Post to lay off staff amid growing anxiety

Just weeks ago, the paper announced it will close its Sunday magazine and lay off 11 newsroom employees.
Washington Post to lay off staff amid growing anxiety

The Washingon Post is finalising a plan to slash headcounts amid an already wobbly job market, triggering concern among its 2,500 odd employees. 

The job market scenario, especially the tech sector, is already in a tailspin due to the big tech layoff season.

Now, the media industry is also facing the layoff heat.  

A report published by The Washington Post on its website gave credence to the fear factor. It said the leading English daily will continue to eliminate jobs early next year. 

The newspaper report quoted its publisher Fred Ryan, who confirmed the news on Wednesday.

Just weeks ago, the paper announced it will close its Sunday magazine and lay off 11 newsroom employees.

At an in-house meeting, Ryan said that the cuts will probably amount to a “single-digit percentage” of the company’s 2,500 employees.

The publisher, who did not provide details, added that the company will create new jobs to offset the loss of positions that are “no longer serving readers."

In an email to staff, Ryan said that the job cut plan  “in no way signals that the newspaper is scaling back its ambitions. 

The publisher, who faced the wrath of the staff, finally walked out of the meeting after dozens of employees raised their hands and peppered him with questions. 

Plans for job cuts will be finalized “over the coming weeks,” Post spokeswoman Kathy Baird said in a statement.

The newspaper's executive editor Sally Buzbee last month cited “economic headwinds” as a prime factor for any hard decision. 

“The Washington Post is evolving and transforming to put our business in the best position for future growth,” Baird said in the statement.

“We are planning to direct our resources and invest in coverage, products, and people in service of providing high value to our subscribers and new audiences.”

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Topics: Employee Relations

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