CLEVELAND — More layoffs are coming to The Plain Dealer.
President and Editor George Rodrigue released a statement on Friday announcing the plan to cut 12 reporters and editors from the newsroom staff within approximately two weeks.
"The essence of a reduction in force like this is that good people lose their jobs, through no fault of their own. That is a kind of tragedy, and one that will be deeply felt by everyone at The Plain Dealer," Rodrigue wrote.
The layoffs are in addition to the 29 jobs that were cut in December, when The Plain Dealer announced the move to a 'centralized production system.' The system is set to start in early May.
"The pending loss of reporters stems not from efficiency breakthroughs but from declining advertising revenue," writes Rodrigue. "Our print subscribers have been extraordinarily loyal, even as we have been forced to raise our rates. But there must be a limit to their generosity; we need to keep our expenses within the means of our readers."
The Northeast Ohio Newspaper Guild (the union that represents many of the paper's employees) reacted with the following statement: