Gannett Lays Off Journalists Across the Country

Gannett headquarters in McLean, Virginia. [AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, file]

Another brutal day for journalism.

Gannett began slashing jobs all across the country Wednesday in a cost-cutting move that was anticipated even before the recent news that a hedge-fund company was planning to buy the chain.

The cuts were not minor.

At the Indianapolis Star, three journalists were laid off, including well-known columnist Tim Swarens. At the Knoxville (Tennessee) News Sentinel, University of Tennessee women’s basketball reporter Dan Fleser is out after more than 30 years in sports. The Tennessean cut three positions, including high school sports reporter Michael Murphy.

Six were laid off at The Record in North Jersey after nine took an early retirement buyout earlier this month. 

On and on it continued.

In preparation for a presumed sale, what happened today at Gannett properties across the country was an absolute tragedy — cutting the local newspapers in so many American cities to the quick. It's remarkable what a single corporation can do in a single day to damage Democracy and eliminate oversight at ALL levels of government.

Local news matters. And an awful lot of hard-working reporters who take great pride in their work woke up this morning with jobs, but are out of work tonight.