Press Democrat lays off 16, citing ailing economy, declining ad revenue

<p>Because of declining advertising and the deteriorating local economy, The Press Democrat is eliminating 16 positions, including 10 in the newsroom.</p><p>"We have to cut additional expenses into 2009," Publisher Bruce Kyse told employees Friday as he announced layoffs in the news-gathering, advertising and business departments of the newspaper. "This is not a good day."</p><p>The loss of retail advertisers such as Mervyns and Linens 'n Things and the decline of classified advertising resulting from online competition mean advertising can't support as many newspaper employees as in the past, he said.</p><p>The two stores are among many retailers that are either shutting their doors or curbing expenses during what many economic experts regard as a severe recession.</p><p>"The economy has taken major retail advertisers out of play," said Kyse, who became publisher of the newspaper in 2006. "When they come out of the game, we lose advertising dollars."</p><p>A series of layoffs last year at the newspaper cut 35 positions, reducing the number of employees to fewer than 400. An additional 17 positions were eliminated in July. The latest round of layoffs fell heaviest on the newsroom, where the jobs of editorial assistants and graphic artists were eliminated, and the ranks of the copy editors and photographers were trimmed.</p><p>The cutbacks will bring the newsroom to about 70 positions, down about 30 percent from its high in 2004.</p><p>Employees affected by the staff reduction will receive severance payments and are eligible for unemployment.</p><p>Many newspapers around the country have cut staffing and reduced the size of their papers as they attempt to manage similar steep declines in circulation, advertising and classified ads.</p><p>You can reach Staff Writer Bleys W. Rose at 521-5431 or bleys.rose@pressdemocrat.com.</p>