Arkansas Media

More Lay-Offs Hit the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Another round of cuts at the state’s largest daily newspaper as the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette announces more lay-offs. How many? They ain’t saying, and here’s the pointlessly weird rationale for the tight lips:

Executive Editor Griffin Smith said the number was not being announced to keep employees from keeping track of those being called aside during the day.

Any ideas on precise number of cuts or names of the fallen? Shoot me an e-mail via the contact form at right, or drop it in the comments section. Tough times.

UPDATE: Early word is that the total number includes 13 newsroom cuts (final tally was 16 cuts). An ADG employee writes in: It’s gloomy around here. When I pulled up, I made sure to only plug the meter for a half-hour; no use wasting an extra quarter in case, you know…

Among those let go today, we’re hearing the following:

Jack Hill (Features Reporter)
Rhonda Owen
(Associate/Family Editor)
Pete Perkins
(Sports Writer)
Todd Traub
(Sports Writer)

Arkansas Business has a fuller report.

NEXT MORNING UPDATE: And here’s the ADG’s full write-up on the whole thing. They want you to believe that, once the economy improves, they’ll be staffing back up, you see. Riiiiiiiiight. Good luck with that.

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5 thoughts on “More Lay-Offs Hit the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

  • Baba O'Rielly

    What is happening to “the Old Grey Lady”?

    Reply
  • Damn, that’s a shame. Jack’s been there forever. All we can do is buy ads and buy papers. I love blogs, but I love newspapers more. Yes, even more than David Kinkade.

    Reply
  • The Traub household was hit “the call” from Frank Fellone. My husband – Todd Traub – had worked for the paper for almost 20 years. I think he had probably used 2 sick days during that time. Some years slipped by and he did not use all of his vacation time too. The hours and the pay were not the best. I still can not believe his loyalty to the paper ended with a simple and quick phone call. I am so bitter right now I can not see straight. They let go a good writer and a good worker. My husband covered the ASU Indians and the Arkansas Travs. No – it not the star team of the Arkansas Razorbacks. I guess it is easier to cut these jobs.

    I love reading – reading newspapers, magazines, online sites, blogs.

    I am sorry the economy is taking a hit and can not buy ads now. This Friday the Sports section ran an ad on the front page! It appears as if the front page section of the sports is being sponsored by a car dealership.

    Russ Powell – he was a friend and photographer at the paper. He was also laid off on Monday too.

    This is not right.
    Waynette

    Reply
  • Rev. Jerry Lee

    Word is from one of those let go with decades on the job – Huss and Fellone gave them two weeks pay as severance. Classy.

    Reply
  • They may have had decades on the job but it did not show up on the pay check. And yes – it was only two weeks severance pay. There were other people that had worked there even a bit longer.

    Reply

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