Text by Sarah Phelan
Insiders at the Chronicle, which Hearst threatened with massive cuts or closure last week, are saying that Hearst has announced this week that it wants to cut 150 union workers, most of them in the newsroom, which employs a total of 275 workers. In other words, half the newsroom would be laid off.
Hearst also wants to end seniority at the paper. This means the highest paid, and often most experienced workers, could be let go, now and in future rounds of negotiations. And the depth, breadth and quality of coverage of the entire Bay Area will shrink.
The Guild has yet to respond. But critics warn that Hearst has yet to prove that its financial loss claims are true, nor have they put them in the context of their entire corporate financial picture or the current economic meltdown.
And so far, Hearst has not invited the public to weigh in on this issue, which will critical impacts on local communities. We still don’t see anyone marching in protest on the streets. Does this mean the terrorists have won? Or that no one reads any more? Or that folks don’t agree with the Chronicle’s editorials? Or only like some of their reporters? Hell, if heads are going to fall, it would be interesting to know what criteria will be used. Is it because a reporter is too old, too expensive, too radical, too irreverent? Or what?