Dozens of New York Times Reporters Accept Buyout Offer

Nearly 50 New York Times journalists have accepted a buyout offer and will exit the paper in the coming months.

The Times had a standing offer and is attempting to trim the staff, which currently stands at about 1,300 employees, according to Poynter.

“These are not layoffs, they are voluntary buyouts,” a New York Times spokesperson told TheWrap. “Beyond that clarification, which is important, we’re not commenting.”

Also Read: New York Times CEO Teases Print Paper's Demise After 'At Least a Decade' (Video)

The deadline to apply for buyouts was July 15, Poynter reported. The News Guild of New York says there were 54 Guild members who applied for the buyout, just one of whom came from outside the paper’s newsroom. Two Guild members reportedly were rejected when they applied and will remain in their current jobs.

The Guild says that roughly half of the buyout applicants were reporters, domestic correspondents, columnists or critics.

In May, the Times announced voluntary buyout packages to members of the newsroom and several other departments. The news came less than a month after the Times denied reports that chairman and publisher Arthur “Pinch” Sulzberger Jr.’s team was planning a massive cut in staff by year’s end.

Also Read: New York Times Shakes Up Digital Team, Hints at More Changes

A memo sent to staffers in May was signed by Sulzberger Jr. and executive editor Dean Banquet, stating, “The buyouts were a part of the company’s larger mandate to build a more digitally focused newsroom, and to reach its stated goal of doubling digital revenue by the year 2020.”

Like many newspaper publishers, The New York Times has been hit hard by declining print circulation and ad revenue as well as increased costs in moving to digital operations. Back in February, Baquet sent a lengthy memo to his staff that addressed the way the Times’ newsroom “is experimenting and adapting as we move into our digital future.”

The Evolution of Roger Ailes, From 'The Mike Douglas Show' to Fox News Innovator (Photos)

The television executive has evolved from producing a talk-variety show to running one of the biggest satellite news television channel in the U.S.
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Born and raised in Ohio, Roger Ailes attended Ohio University as a young man, majoring in radio and television. During his time there, he served as station manager for the university's WOUB radio for two years.
Ohio University
Ailes worked his way up to executive producer on the syndicated daytime talk show "The Mike Douglas Show," which began as a local program in Cleveland before expanding nationwide.
Westinghouse Broadcasting Company
In 1968, Ailes got an Emmy nod when "The Mike Douglas Show" was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Daytime Programming, ultimately losing to NBC's "Today" show.
After first meeting Richard Nixon on the set of "The Mike Douglas Show," Ailes was hired by the then-presidential candidate to be his media advisor during the campaign, which marked his first professional foray into politics.
Ailes continued consulting on presidential campaigns, serving as media consultant for three successful Republicans: Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.
Ailes produced the famous "revolving door" ad for Bush, which painted Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis as soft on crime. The piece was widely regarded as the most influential ad of the political cycle.
In 1988, Ailes co-authored a self-help book with Jon Kraushar. "You Are the Message" shared Ailes' tips for effective communication and public performances.
Simon and Schuster
In 1992, Ailes served as executive producer on a syndicated late-night talk show hosted by right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh, which ran for four years before coming to an end in 1996.
Ailes Productions
Ailes was named president of CNBC in 1993, where he launched the new cable network America's Talking, which was shut down and replaced with future Fox News competitor MSNBC.
America's Talking
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch hired Ailes to serve as founding CEO and Chariman of the Fox News Channel in 1996, which soon grew to become the most popular cable news network in the country.
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In 2016, Ailes was accused of sexual harassment by ousted Fox News host Gretchen Carlson. In July, Carlson filed a lawsuit against Ailes, claiming years of inappropriate behavior and sexual advances.
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On July 20, 2016, Ailes was forced to resign from Fox News amid the growing outcry over the sexual harassment allegations.
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Ailes died on May 18, 2017 at age 77.