New York Times Cuts 100 Newsroom Jobs, Shuts Down Opinion App

A smaller number of positions from its editorial and business operations will be eliminated, too

The New York Times
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The New York Times is cutting 100 jobs from its newsroom, as well as a smaller number of positions from its business operations, publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr. and chief executive Mark Thompson announced on Wednesday.

In addition, the Times is shutting down its mobile app NYT Opinion, because it was not attracting enough subscribers.

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“The job losses are necessary to control our costs and to allow us to continue to invest in the digital future of The New York Times, but we know that they will be painful both for the individuals affected and for their colleagues,” Sulzberger and Thompson wrote in a memo to staff.

In a separate note to staff, executive editor Dean Baquet said he will “use this as an opportunity to seriously reconsider some of what we do — from the number of sections we produce to the amount we spend on freelance content.”

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The layoffs come just a week after the Times overhauled its leadership structure, retiring the managing editor title in favor of four deputy executive editors, who were all promoted from within. Earlier this year, Baquet replaced Jill Abramson, who was named top editor in 2011.

Previously, the Times eliminated 100 newsroom jobs in 2008, and then another 100 in 2009. 30 senior newsroom jobs were also cut in the beginning of 2013.

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According to the Times, the most recent round of layoffs amounts to about 7.5 percent of the newsroom staff, which is still at its largest size ever with about 1,330 employees, compared to 1,250 at the end of last year.

NY Times third financial quarter ended on Sunday, and while data shows that profit had improved from the last quarter, the company’s profitability was lower than during the same period last year as costs increased.

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