The Los Angeles Times announces it is laying off 20% of its newsroom, in one of the largest staff cuts in its history

The Los Angeles Times announced the firing of at least 115 employees (more than 20% of the newsroom) starting Tuesday, one of the largest staff cuts in the paper’s 143-year history.

The announcement came after the LA Times Guild went on strike last Friday to protest impending layoffs, the first union strike in a newsroom at the institution.

Matt Pearce, president of the Media Guild of the West, which groups the Times union, called Tuesday a “dark day”. At least he said that 94 union members would be fired.

“Many departments and newsroom groups will be severely affected,” Pearce said in a statement. “This total, although devastating, it is however much smaller compared to the number of layoffs that the negotiating committee expected last week.

He said some of those selected for layoffs by management may be eligible for buyouts under the union contract.

THE senior editors, photographers and members of the video unit They, too, were part of the purge, the Times said.

Losses of $40 million per year

The cuts were necessary because the Times I could no longer lose up to $40 million a year without increasing advertising and subscription revenue, the newspaper’s owner, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, said Tuesday.

“Today’s decision is painful for everyone, but it is imperative that we act urgently and take steps to build a sustainable and prosperous newspaper for the next generation. We are committed to doing this,” Soon-Shiong said.

A territory in difficulty

Layoffs and buyouts have affected a broad swath of the news industry over the past year. He Washington Post, NPR, CNN and Vox Media are among the many companies affected.

It is estimated that until the end of November 2,681 jobs were lost in the information sector, according to employment firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas. This was more than the entire year of 2022 and 2021.

The latest wave of job cuts at the LA Times comes after more than 70 positions (about 13% of the newsroom) were eliminated last June.

“These staff have been cut It is the result of years of mediocre strategy, the absence of a publisher and clear direction” the union said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. “We remain grateful for the Soon-Shiong family’s investment in the newspaper and remain committed to being good faith partners in business and at the bargaining table. But it goes without saying that those who is entrusted with the task of managing the generosity of one’s family they failed himnot core staffers who have no say in editorial priorities.

Soon-Shiong, a biotech billionaire, acquired the Times in 2018, returning it to local ownership two decades after its sale to Tribune Co. The purchase raised hopes after years of cutbacks, declining circulation and leadership changes .

Earlier this month, executive editor Kevin Merida left suddenly after two and a half years in office.

Pearce said the union’s bargaining committee will meet with Times management this Wednesday to begin discussions on layoffs as outlined in the contract.