Major Newspaper Layoffs

The Star-Ledger has recently had to impose layoffs that would put 167 employees out of work. Different employees, including copy editors, advertising representatives, and reporters, all gathered together to find out the news. Several positions are going to be eliminated. One of the positions was already vacant due to a staff writer who recently left the position. While more than a hundred employees will lose their job, nearly 250 other employees will not be affected by the layoffs, according to the newspaper.

Many were already expecting these layoffs, especially after the owners of the newspaper made announcements that they were going to work together with a different company that would allow them to compete more with the digital aspect since print is not nearly as substantial as it once was, especially in a digital age. The company, NJ Advance Media, will work with employees of The Star-Ledger as well as other newspapers that Advanced Publications currently owns.

This company is going to help bring useful content and innovative advertising techniques to the traditional newspapers and to the news websites. Their added content will start at the beginning of September. The various newspaper, including the South Jersey Times and Express-Times, will all continue to be published every day of the week. They are not cutting back on the number of days these newspapers come out to the public.

Many part-time and full-time employees have received notice that their services are no longer needed due to the changes. These employees come from all areas of Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey. Amy Ellis Nutt, who currently work with the paper, discussed how difficult and devastating it was to hear about the layoffs and the number of people who are now just out of a job.

She knew that this time was coming, especially with the decline of newspaper sales, but was not prepared for the toll it would take on the lives of many different employees. Ellis Nutt does worry that things will not be the same without all of the added journalism and contributions from highly-qualified professionals who have now been let go.

The layoffs had to happen as news transforms from the traditional paper that people could go out and buy or have delivered to the home to something they can easily access online instead. Print advertising has died down as more people decide to have their advertisements featured online instead, which leads to less money coming in for these traditional publications. Some newspapers across the country have already had to their close their doors for good, losing the battle against the digital age of news reporting.

The Star-Ledger, known for its quality coverage, continues to keep the traditional newspapers alive, but can only do so by making necessary cuts and following the current digital trends.

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