The Fall of Once-Mighty McClatchy Newspapers Underscores California's News Crisis
The cuts eliminated the Sacramento Bee sports and opinion desks as McClatchy said local-news revenue fell 41% in five years.
- Last week, McClatchy issued layoff notices to more than 90 unionized journalists and media workers at 17 publications, representing about 30% of the company's unionized workforce with The NewsGuild-CWA.
- Chatham Asset Management acquired McClatchy in a bankruptcy auction, then oversaw years of staff reductions as the publisher struggled with debt and declining print revenue.
- Newsrooms including The Sacramento Bee and The Kansas City Star faced severe staff reductions, while remaining employees criticized the AI-powered Content Innovation Lab roles as "AI content farm jobs."
- In an internal memo, executive vice president Greg Farmer justified the cuts, stating the company requires "a different choice" because subscriber interest no longer supports current local news investments.
- More than 12,000 local journalists have been lost since 2002, prompting lawmakers to consider Assembly Bill 2222, which would provide tax credits to sustain news organizations.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Hanford Sentinel
The fall of once-mighty McClatchy newspapers underscores California's news crisis
Dan Walters describes working for The Sacramento Bee several decades ago as "like living in Sweden." The newspaper had a bustling office in California's capital replete with a cafeteria, a gas station, a credit union, and a medical clinic, where…
McClatchy, owner of NC’s two largest newspapers, makes deep cuts after tough summer
NEW YORK — Closing out a turbulent summer for the news industry, McClatchy — owner of the two largest newspapers in North Carolina — has made deep cuts at several papers it owns across the nation. The union that represents McClatchy journalists said last Friday that more than 90 unionized journalis
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California newsroom replaces dozens of laid-off reporters with AI writers
McClatchy Media is shrinking its California newsrooms even as it expands an artificial intelligence operation that could remake what those papers publish. The company laid off dozens of journalists nationwide last week, then added three editors to its AI-powered Content Innovation Lab. The timing has sharpened fears that machines are being asked to fill gaps […]
After major cuts, McClatchy announces new hires, including several execs, two reporters, and three editors for the company's AI-powered Content Innovation Lab (Mark Keierleber/Straight Arrow)
Mark Keierleber / Straight Arrow: After major cuts, McClatchy announces new hires, including several execs, two reporters, and three editors for the company's AI-powered Content Innovation Lab — This recording was made using enhanced software. — Less than a week after newspaper giant McClatchy Media laid off journalists …
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