The second biggest newspaper in the country is realigning to emphasize mobile publishing, and laying off about 130 employees in the process, according to the AP.
USA Today shaking up staff in ‘radical’ overhaulBy MICHAEL LIEDTKE (AP) - SAN FRANCISCO — USA Today, the nation’s second largest newspaper, is making the most dramatic overhaul of its staff in its 28-year history as it de-emphasizes its print edition and ramps up its effort to reach more readers and advertisers on mobile devices.
The makeover outlined Thursday will result in about 130 layoffs this fall, USA Today Publisher Dave Hunke told The Associated Press. That translates into a 9 percent reduction in USA Today’s work force of 1,500 employees. Hunke didn’t specify which departments would be hardest hit.
The layoffs are not a surprise, it is a Gannett paper after all. But these schemes… I see problems. First, the paper might attempt to surmount the small issue of its rather poor quality before thoughts of storming the World Wide Webs take hold. I’ve met a lot of editors, and none nearly so self-righteous as unnamed USA Today editor. The goal, as I understand it, is to plaster articles with “infographics,” and that USA Today does well. How will they cover their shame with graphics when some mobile devices don’t support them? Second, we demand more stories like this:
(geekologie had the screenshot)
Tags: journalism, layoffs, news, USA Today
August 27, 2010 at 8:29 am |
[...] –Reading Are Fun: The layoffs are not a surprise, it is a Gannett paper after all. But these schemes… I see problems. First, the paper might attempt to surmount the small issue of its rather poor quality before thoughts of storming the World Wide Webs take hold. I’ve met a lot of editors, and none nearly so self-righteous as unnamed USA Today editor. The goal, as I understand it, is to plaster articles with “infographics,” and that USA Today does well. How will they cover their shame with graphics when some mobile devices don’t support them?… [...]