NYT Co. Gives Globe Unions a One-Day Extension on $20M in Concessions

The Boston Globe received an eleventh-hour reprieve early this morning when its owner, the New York Times Co., extended the deadline for unions to agree to $20 million in concessions until tomorrow, according to a Boston Globe story by Robert Gavin and Keith O'Brien.

More than a half-hour after the midnight deadline passed, Globe management said enough progress had been made in talks with unions that the Times Co. would wait at least another two days before acting on its threat to shutter the Globe. Any agreement would still have to be ratified by each union's members.

"Because there has been progress on reaching needed cost savings, The Boston Globe will extend the deadline for reaching complete agreements with its unions until midnight Sunday May 3," Globe spokesman Robert Powers said in a statement.

Globe management released the statement as negotiators from management and the Globe's largest union, the Boston Newspaper Guild, conducted another marathon bargaining session that began yesterday morning and stretched past midnight. The Times Co. is seeking $10 million, or half of all union concessions, from the Guild, which represents more than 600 editorial, advertising, and office workers.

"We have given the New York Times Co. and Globe management proposals for deep cuts in our members' pay and benefits that we believe will save The Boston Globe," Daniel Totten, Guild president, said in a statement. "We are awaiting the company's response."

Talks between the Guild and the company are scheduled to resume tomorrow, according to a union spokesman.

Life Goes On After a Layoff for McIntyre

John McIntyre has started his You Don't Say blog 2.0. He was in charge of The Baltimore Sun copy desk until being laid off this past week. It's a continuation of his blog that was posted on The Sun's website.

April Newspaper Layoffs Total 1,350; First Four Months of 2009 Saw 8,793 Layoffs

There were 1,350 reported new layoffs from newspapers in the United States in April, which represented an easing of the layoff activity from March, when almost 4,000 newspaper employees were dismissed, News Cycle's survey has found.

During the first four months of 2009, there were a reported 8,762 layoffs from print news organizations.

In April, more than 200 Belo employees were laid off, but that figure was included previously when it was reported in January that 500 were to be let go.

These figures represent journalists, business personnel, advertising employees, production and delivery workers from daily, weekly, monthly and some journalism trade publications.

The vast majority reflects layoffs, but some are from buyouts offered by news organizations or jobs lost because of a newspaper ceasing its operations.

There were 2,256 reported layoffs in January. Newspapers cut 1,492 people in February. At least 3,943 people lost their jobs in newspapers in March.
Email me to report any job cuts in the newspaper industry, or corrections and additions to any of the 2009 lists.

April 30: Reading (Pa.) Eagle, 52 people.
April 30: Altoona (Pa.) Mirror, two people.
April 30: The Telegram & Gazette of Worcester, Mass., five people.
April 30: Sarasota (Fla.) Herald-Tribune, 10 people.
April 30: Jamestown (N.Y.) Post-Journal, two in editorial, seven in other departments, via tip to News Cycle.
April 29: Presstime, the trade publication of NAA, ceases publication, 39 people.
April 29: The News & Observer of Raliegh, N.C., 31 people.
April 29: The Baltimore Sun, 61 people editorial and seven people on business side.
April 28: Chattanooga (Tenn.) Times Free Press, 20 people.
April 27: The Morning News of Springdale (Ark.), at least nine people.
April 24: Gannett, 50 digital advertising sales reps.
April 24: The Dallas Business Journal, two people.
April 24: Charlotte Business Journal, six people.
April 24: Pudget Sound Business Journal in Seattle, seven people.
April 24: Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, two people.
April 24: Boston Business Journal, four people.
April 23: Phoenix Media/Communication Group, six people.
April 23: Milford (N.H.) Observer ceases publication, one person.
April 22: Chicago Tribune, 53 people.
April 21, The Press-Enterprise of Riverside, Calif., 14 people, part of the Belo announcement of 500 people.
April 20, The Los Angeles Daily News, five people.
April 20: Sun-Times Media Group, 140 people.
April 18, The Pioneer Press of Glenview, Ill., 12 people, part of the Sun-Times Media Group layoff of April 20.
April 18, Naperville (Ill.) Sun, three people, part of the Sun-Times Media Group layoff of April 20.
April 17: Daily Southtown near Chicago, five people plus more in advertising, part of the Sun-Times Media Group layoff of April 20.
April 16: The News & Record of Greensboro, N.C., 25 people.
April 15: Lake Norman (N.C.) Times ceases publication; six people.
April 15: Suburban Journals of St. Louis, 15 people.
April 15: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, nine people.
April 15: San Francisco Chronicle, at least 90 drivers.
April 15: East Valley Tribune in Phoenix, 13 people.
April 14: Orlando Sentinel, 44 people in addition to the March 21 announcement of 36 people.
April 14: The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, N.J., 17 people.
April 13: The Observer & Eccentric Newspapers will cease publication of five Eccentric print and Web editions in Michigan on May 31. The papers are: The Birmingham, West Bloomfield, Troy and Rochester editions of the Eccentric. The Southfield edition will merge with another publication, 44 people.
April 10: The Honolulu Star-Bulletin and MidWeek, 23 people.
April 9: Carson (Nev.) Times ceases publication, 12 people listed in its online staff box.
April 9: The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, Va., 40 people.
April 8: Reno (Nev.) Gazette-Journal, 35 people.
April 8: Dallas Morning News, 200 people, part of A.H. Belo's January announcement of 500 layoffs nationwide.
April 4: Watertown (N.Y.) Daily Times, five positions will not be filled.
April 3: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, at least 12 advertising staffers.
April 3: Loveland (Colo.) Reporter-Herald, three people.
April 3: Worcester (Mass.) Telegram & Gazette, 20 people.
April 3: Palo Alto (Calif.) Daily News, one person.
April 3: Fort Meyers (Fla.) News-Press, six people, via tip to News Cycle.
April 3: Pensacola (Fla.) News Journal, 84 jobs.
April 2: Arizona Republic in Phoenix, at least 30 in circulation; The Indianapolis Star, eight in classified; Asbury Park (N.J.) Press, 18 circulation managers; the Fremont (Ohio) News-Messenger and Port Clinton News-Herald, three people; Planet Discover web service, 10 people; the Gannett Health Care Group newspaper, 27 people; the St. Cloud (Minn.) Times, 10 people; all part of a Gannett move.
April 2: Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch, lays off 59 people, will not fill another 31 positions.
April 1: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 31 people.
April 1: Lebanon (Pa.) Daily News, seven people.
April 1: The Asbury Park Press will house the regional operation at its offices in Neptune, N.J. The other three Gannett Co. papers are the Home News Tribune of East Brunswick, the Courier News of Somerville and the Daily Record of Parsippany, 10 people.
April 1: Lancaster (Pa.) Intelligencer Journal and Lancaster New Era will combine operations and lay off 100 people.
April 1: The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus of Howell, Mich., at least 10 people.
April 1: Las Cruces (N.M.) Sun-Times, two people.

Here are News Cycle's month-by-month lists of newspaper job cuts this year:

December -- 752 people.
November -- 293 people.
October -- 375 people.
September -- 347 people.
August -- 425 people.
July -- 2,505 people.
June -- 318 people.
May -- 1,084 people.
April -- 1,350 people.
March -- 3,943 people.
February -- 1,492 people.
January -- 2,256 people.

Email me to report any job cuts in the newspaper industry.

Washington Post Reports Net Loss of $19.5 Million in First Quarter

The Washington Post Company today reported a net loss of $19.5 million ($2.04 loss per share) for its first quarter ended March 29, 2009, compared to net income of $39.3 million ($4.08 per share) in the first quarter of last year.

Results for the first quarter of 2009 included $13.4 million in accelerated depreciation at The Washington Post (after-tax impact of $8.3 million, or $0.89 per share); $16.9 million in restructuring charges related to Kaplan’s Score and Professional (U.S.) operations (after-tax impact of $10.5 million, or $1.12 per share); and $6.6 million in early retirement program expense at Newsweek (after-tax impact of $4.1 million, or $0.44 per share). Results for the first quarter of 2008 included charges of $24.6 million related to early retirement program expense at Newsweek (after-tax impact of $15.3 million, or $1.60 per share).

Revenue for the first quarter of 2009 was $1,054.1 million, down 1% from $1,063.1 million in 2008. The decrease is due to revenue declines at the newspaper publishing, television broadcasting and magazine publishing divisions, offset by revenue growth at the education and cable television divisions. The company had an operating loss of $19.6 million in the first quarter of 2009, compared to operating income of $66.9 million in 2008. Operating results were down at the newspaper publishing, education and television broadcasting divisions, while the cable division reported improved results for the quarter. The magazine publishing division reported a loss for the first quarter of both 2009 and 2008.

Excluding charges related to early retirement programs, the company’s operating income for the first quarter of 2009 includes $1.3 million of net pension credits, compared to $6.6 million in the first quarter of 2008.

Baltimore Sun Announces Its Reorganization Plan

Here is The Baltimore Sun's memo on it's reorganization plan as obtained by Jim Romenesko today:

Today, we are announcing the following positions. The topic managers will report directly to Corey and Baise. These changes take effect Monday, May 4.

Director, content editing and enterprise: Marcia Myers
Marcia will oversee development of stories for print and online across all departments, with a particular focus on Page One candidates and with direct responsibility for investigative and enterprise projects.

Head of Maryland news: David Nitkin and Dave Alexander
Politics & Government Editor, Jean Marbella
Crime & Courts Editor, Michelle Landrum
Education Editor, Jen Badie
Director of Breaking News, Ben Pillow
GA Editor, Liz Atwood
Content editor/chief makeup editor, Linda Schubert

David and Dave will focus their efforts jointly what we consider the core of what we provide to our readers: coverage of the city and its surrounding counties across multiple platforms. David Nitkin brings a wealth of experience as an editor and reporter. He's a rock-solid journalist whose instinct for news is unparalleled. Nitkin has been a reporter in Baltimore County, the state house bureau chief, Maryland editor, and spent time covering the White House. He oversaw coverage of the 2006 and 2008 elections. Dave Alexander's success as online deputy editor and his unique and keen understanding of our diverse audiences -- he has print experience at newspapers in Virginia and North Carolina -- provide the perfect complement and the leadership we need. Dave's career at baltimoresun.com progressed from sports producer to news producer to senior news producer before becoming online deputy editor.

Head of money & spending: Tim Wheatley
Content editors, Justine Maki, Liz Hacken

While much of Tim's career has been spent in sports, he was also AME/Business at the Indianapolis Star and responsible for coverage of the Conseco bankruptcy, Eli Lilly and the downsizing of the auto industry. He brings a broad approach to story development and knows how to surround an issue, providing readers with greater context. In his time here he has led our Sports staff to one of its most successful years in 2008 with multiple writing and section awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors, and we expect him to continue that success in leading our business staff.

Head of sports: Trif Alatzas
Executive Sports Editor, Ron Fritz
Deputy Sports Editor, Pete Sweigard
Assistant Sports Editors, Kevin Eck, Steve Gould, Matt Bracken
Content Editor, night: Andy Knobel

As business editor for the past nine months, Trif has been known for his great sense for news and for knowing how to develop sources that deepen our readers' knowledge and understanding of stories. Bringing that type of experience and drive will enhance our Sports coverage, particularly with a greater emphasis for breaking news online. He has been an outstanding editor, helping guide coverage of the Constellation Energy Group and quickly mobilized the staff around coverage of the economic meltdown last fall and Wall Street's collapse. The proposed sale of Constellation won a breaking-news award from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers. He will be excellent at leveraging our highly popular Sports content online.

Head of opinion: Andy Green
Deputy Opinion Editor, Michael Cross-Barnet

Andy brings a wealth of politics, state house and government coverage experience, with broad understanding of the issues affecting the lives of Marylanders. He also understands the heightened role that readers and online audiences are increasingly playing in helping to shape public opinion; that it's just as much about "what we say" as it is helping focus discussion and debate around what our readers and online audience are intensely interested in.

Head of lifestyle & entertainment: Dave Rosenthal
Arts & Entertainment Editor, Tim Swift
Content editor, food: Sarah Kelber
Content editor, nightlife/bands: Sam Sessa
Content editors, lifestyle: Kate Shatzkin, Michelle Deal-Zimmerman, Matt Brown, Kim Walker
Events coordinator, Rebecca Hyler

Dave will guide our lifestyle and entertainment topics. In lifestyle, these topics reflect how we live and events and issues that directly impact our readers' lives. These topic areas include parenting/family, health & wellness, green living, science, faith, home, commuting, recreation and travel. In entertainment, we will focus locally on food and dining, the arts scene, nightlife, bands, celebrities, television and movies. Dave has guided The Sun's weekend and Sunday edition coverage where many of the important projects and investigations of the past few years have been showcased. His insight into readership habits and his creative approach to story ideas will be invaluable for increasing our online audience in these areas.


Head of visuals: Jay Judge
Director of Multimedia, Steve Sullivan
Director of Photography, Bob Hamilton
Director of Interactive Design, Lauren Custer
Multimedia/interactive art director, Kevin Richardson

Jay will guide the visuals presentation for our print and online platforms, bringing solid versatility and a knowledge of the importance visuals play in helping tell stories in myriad ways. You've known Jay as a highly creative colleague, an acute problem-solver and an editor who applies great journalistic skill to visual presentation.

Head of night content & production: Chris Rickett
News Editor, Steve Young
Design Director, Anthony Conroy
Assistant News Editor/Pagination, Derrick Barker
Copy Desk Chief, Phil Klinedinst

Director of audience engagement: Mary Hartney
Community coordinator, Maryland news, Julie Scharper
Community coordinator, money & spending, Phill McGowan
Community coordinator, sports, Dean Jones Jr.
Community coordinator, opinion, Nancy Johnston
Community coordinator, lifestyle, Maryann James
Community coordinator, entertainment, Carla Correa

The community coordinators are responsible for cultivating one or more dynamic communities of interest in their topic areas on the Web using blogging, social media and other community outreach tools. Community coordinators are responsible for generating loyalty, frequency and advocacy among users so that they help our audiences grow. They will report directly to Mary.

Newsroom technology manager: Jeff Bill
Jeff, as he has done so ably for the photography staff as deputy director of photography, will expand his role into providing technical assistance, system performance, and inventory for the newsroom's computer and cellular telephone equipment.

Please congratulate our colleagues on their new roles.

Again, these roles become effective on Monday, May 4. During the transition of the next few weeks it is important that we remain flexible. Everyone will be getting used to the new roles, new relationships with supervisors, a new way of thinking about newsgathering and audience engagement, and new process requirements.

The topic managers will hold introductory meetings with reporters and columnists beginning tomorrow to talk about beats, coverage and our focus on providing journalism, news and information across multiple platforms.

Monty, Mary and Matthew

Highlights of Obama's Third Press Conference

Here is a video of the top moments in President Barack Obama's press conference last night from the White House.

Health Care Unions: We're Not Ready to Protect Workers During Flu Pandemic

A new union survey of more than 100 health care facilities across the country reveals that many are not adequately prepared to protect workers' health and safety during an influenza pandemic.

The report, "Healthcare Workers In Peril: Preparing to Protect Worker Health and Safety During Pandemic Influenza," conducted by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the AFL-CIO and other unions, concludes that workers face a very high risk of becoming infected when caring for patients with pandemic flu unless adequate health and safety measures are in place in advance of a pandemic.

"Our survey has identified serious deficiencies in the preparedness of health care facilities," said AFSCME International President Gerald W. McEntee. "Unless hospitals, nursing homes and other facilities do a better job of addressing all health and safety areas surveyed, workers will become sick and, as a consequence, be unavailable to care for sick patients."

With no existing comprehensive federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration standard on airborne diseases designed to protect health-care workers, the pandemic flu preparedness survey was conducted to assess the extent of employer efforts in planning adequate safety and health measures.

More than a hundred surveys were collected by six unions in 14 states. The collected surveys indicate that health care facilities have made some progress in preparing for a flu pandemic, but much more needs to be done. Results show:

* Only 4 percent of the respondents reported that their facility was "very ready" to respond to a flu pandemic.
* Less than half the facilities surveyed (43 percent) have provided pandemic flu training to their workers, one of the fundamental elements of protecting workers from occupational hazards.
* One-third of the facilities have yet to develop a written plan for responding to pandemic flu.
* Only 54 percent of the facilities have identified health care workers who will be at some risk of occupational exposure to the pandemic flu virus.

"In order to provide care for patients infected with pandemic flu and protect health care worker from exposure, plans for safety and health issues should be made before the flu arrives," McEntee said.

Tribune's Botched Job in Handling The Baltimore Sun Layoffs

The Tribune Co., owners of The Baltimore Sun, gave everyone a primer yesterday in how not to handle a layoff by limiting information and treating its staffers in an unprofessional manner.

Information about the layoff came out through a slow drip, and no official announcement. Even this morning, a day after the deed was done, there is no press release detailing the cutbacks on the corporate website. This not only causes confusion both inside the newsroom and out, but it fertilizes the rumor weeds that spread.

The only corporate comment has come from Renee Mutchnik, a spokeswoman for the Baltimore Sun Media Group, who said: "We're going to become a 24-hour, local news-gathering media company so we can more effectively gather content and distribute it among our different platforms -- print, online and mobile.

"As everyone knows, more and more readers are moving online, and advertisers are following them.

"This is our plan for success, not just survival."

But there are no details on that plan. Are they going to shut down the print product? If not, how do they expect to produce a quality print product with so few people? Will you continue to be a news organization, or will you shift to an information service? Are there plans to beef up the website? There are also rumors of Tribune shifting personnel to Chicago, any truth to that?

By the way, there was no definitive answer to the number of people laid off. At various times throughout the day media reports had it at 15, then 58, later 60, and finally 61. This is roughly 29 percent of the 205 editorial staff. Some were notified on Tuesday, others Wednesday.

Meanwhile, a Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild memo states that in addition to the editorial layoffs, The Sun has laid off seven employees in other departments including advertising and customer service.

For the record then, 61 people from editorial and seven from the business unit have been dismissed, as best as anyone can tell.

"It's stunning, just the breadth of them across the board," The Sun quoted Angie Kuhl, the paper's unit chairwoman for the Guild, which represents 148 newsroom workers, including 40 who were laid off Wednesday. "They are clearly trying to move to be an information producer, not a newspaper publisher. It is a flattening of the newsroom," Kuhl told Editor & Publisher's Joe Strupp.

The notifications to staffers were a joke. Some got word on Tuesday, others on Wednesday. Four journalists covering the O's-Angels baseball game were notified by phone, as documented by Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.

(Tough times in the newspaper biz. Two writers for the Baltimore Sun in the press box here got the news — by phone during the game — that they had been laid off in the latest round of cost-cutting. Stay classy, Baltimore Sun management.)

(UPDATE: Make that three reporters and a photographer axed by the Sun during the game.)

It wouldn't be so bad if the O's were away, but they were playing in downtown Baltimore. Notifying the employees before going to the ballpark wouldn't have been too much to ask, would it? I certainly hope they did not file a story.

David Ettlin, writing on his blog "The Real Muck," gives a graphic minute-by-minute account of the Tuesday-Wednesday Massacre, including this tidbit of one staffer getting the news. Go to his piece, it's a great read:

Ellie Baublitz, who put in 22 years and four months as a Sun editorial assistant after a few years as a community news freelancer, wore a spritely yellow outfit to work Wednesday, to “cheer people up” -- but having heard from a newsroom confidant of the Tuesday Night Massacre, she came prepared.

“I stuffed two shopping bags into my briefcase, just in case I needed them.”

About 2 p.m., as the newsroom awaited an expected announcement, Ellie and fellow editorial assistant Fay Lande were summoned by a top editor into a glass-windowed conference room overlooking the newsroom and told of their layoffs.

Ellie came out in tears and, by one reporter’s account, “That really broke the newsroom up, when Ellie broke up.”

In a telephone chat Wednesday night, Ellie acknowledged the account as “pretty accurate,” and recounted how colleagues cheered and applauded staffers leaving the building after getting the same fate.

“It was pretty ugly down there,” Ellie said. “They probably did me a favor. The last couple of years have been really bad.”

There are so many better ways to handle such an awful situation. I know from my own experience that managers take no joy or glee going through this process. But there are steps they can take to make sure people are treated with respect, and that information is properly and clearly communicated. (Communication at a newspaper, who would have thought of that?)

1. Notify those affected in person on the same day. Notify them in private, not in glass window offices so everyone can watch (as described by Ettlin above). Give them the dignity of saying good-bye to their co-workers if they so choose.

2. Gather the remaining staff so the chief executive officer can tell them face-to-face. Thank the leaving staff publicly for their fine service; emphasis that this was a business decision and does not reflect their integrity or hard work. Describe the vision for the organization's future and what the company's goals are as it moves forward. Invite questions and answer them honestly.

3. Issue a press release detailing how many people were laid off, what departments they came from, and how many are left. Thank the departing employees, and include language about the future of the organization. This eliminates the rumors and water-cooler chatter.

WHO Raises Pandemic Flu Alert Level to Phase 5

The World Health Organization raised the pandemic alert level to 5 this afternoon, the second highest level for the organization. Meanwhile, the United Nations has warned that the disease cannot be contained. At least 91 confirmed cases of the flu have been reported throughout the globe.

WHO says the phase 5 alert means there is sustained human-to-human spread in at least two countries. It also signals that efforts to produce a vaccine will be ramped up.

The disease, which is believed to have originated in Mexico, has now spread across the globe, with confirmed cases having been reported in Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, New Zealand and Israel. The United States has also reported its first death from the disease in a toddler in Texas. A confirmed case was also reported in Costa Rica, and South Korea and France both had probable cases.

The WHO said on Tuesday that while it was not yet certain that the outbreak would turn into a pandemic, countries should prepare for the worst. "Countries should take the opportunity to prepare for a pandemic," said the acting assistant director-general for the WHO, Keiji Fukuda.

"Based on assessment of all available information, and following several expert consultations, I have decided to raise the current level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 4 to phase 5," said Margaret Chan, the Director-General of the WHO, in a statement released in Geneva today. "...All countries should immediately activate their pandemic preparedness plans. Countries should remain on high alert for unusual outbreaks of influenza-like illness and severe pneumonia." After the announcement was made, Wikinews learned that the WHO website had crashed for several minutes, presumably due to high traffic volume.

There is no vaccine for swine flu. In 1976 during an outbreak of the disease, at least 500 people became seriously ill, and of them, 25 had died when inoculated with an attempt at a vaccination. The 500 that became ill, developed a neurological disorder called Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) which caused paralysis "and is characterized by various degrees of weakness, sensory abnormalities and autonomic dysfunction." Those who developed the disorder did so because of an immunopathological reaction to the drug. Nearly 40 million U,S. residents, including then President Gerald Ford, were inoculated,

Newspaper Association of America Cuts 39 Jobs, Ceases Publication of Presstime

The Newspaper Association of America announced today that it plans to cut its staff by almost one-half and will cease publication of the print edition of the trade magazine Presstime. It will continue in digital form.

The association eliminated 39 positions this afternoon, and will retain 43 staffers. According to Jennifer Saba of Editor & Publisher, association president and chief executive officer John Sturm told staffers through a memo that the steps were necessary and were taken at the direction of the board. "To be direct, industry economics compelled this round of staff reductions - to ensure we remain an affordable value to our members," he wrote.

The last print edition of Presstime will be the May 2009 issue but the NAA will continue to publish a digital form. "Continuing the Presstime mission online is part of the transformation very much in line with the changes our members are making to their own businesses," spokesperson and Presstime publisher Su-Lin Cheng Nichols said.

The brutal environment has caught many in the industry off-guard with unprecedented advertising revenue declines. "As it is clear from news coverage of the first quarter financials, this downturn is sharper and more severe than anyone saw coming even six months ago," Sturm wrote. "Unfortunately, no one has suggested that the bottom has been reached yet."

UPDATE: Baltimore Sun Layoff Totals 60 Journalists

UPDATE, 4:23 p.m. Eastern, April 29, 2009: The Associated Press is reporting this afternoon that The Baltimore Sun has laid off nearly 60 people in its newsroom, including veteran editors and managers, columnists, photographers and designers. Earlier reports had the figure as low as 15 people being let go.

A spokeswoman for the newspaper says managerial-level employees were laid off at the end of the day Tuesday, and union-represented employees were informed Wednesday afternoon.

The Sun did not disclose how many people lost their jobs, but the Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild says 37 people were let go Wednesday. Staffers who were laid off Tuesday say about 21 managers were let go.

Maryland's largest newspaper is owned by Tribune Co., which is operating under bankruptcy protection.

Joe Strupp of Editor & Publisher writes was the first to report the eventual size of the layoff this morning:

The mass exodus of editors at The Baltimore Sun is expected to approach 20, according to Newspaper Guild leaders at the paper, who said the layoffs are part of a shift away from traditional newspapering and toward multi-platform content.

They also fear that more cuts, to guild members, are looming with as many as 20 rank-and-file jobs expected to go.

"They are clearly trying to move to be an information producer, not a newspaper publisher," said Angie Kuhl, Guild unit chair at the Sun. "It is a flattening of the newsroom."

Her comments followed Editor Monty Cook's meeting with newsroom staffers late Tuesday, in which he announced at least 15 of the editor-level layoffs, which included both top editorial page editors.

Kuhl said the editor departures are expected to grow to 20 before the end of the day, but do not include Cook. "This is really a devastating hit," she said. "These are experienced journalists with a wealth of knowledge."

A source told DCRTV.com:

"Fifteen mid- and top-level editors just laid off at the Sun... The casualities include: Deputy Managing Editor Paul Moore, Editorial Page Editor Ann LoLordo, Op-Ed Editor Larry Williams, Med/Sci Editor Patricia Fanning, Sports editors Ray Frager and George VanDaniker, Copy Desk Chief John McIntyre, Systems Editor Steve Auerweck, three bureau chiefs (leaving none), Regional Editor Jay Apperson, and Photo Assigning Editor Chuck Weiss. All editors were told to leave the building immediately. A security guard was stationed on the skywalk between the building and the employee parking garage. Rumor has it the Guild employees will get layoff notices this week."

Another source told the website:

"I just read through your brief about the 15 layoffs at the Sun and noticed you have no names for the three bureau chiefs. Their names are Joe DeCarlo, Dan Clemens, and Bill Caulfield. Also receiving a layoff was Eileen Canzian, who was one of our Metro editors and one of the brightest journalists in the room. Their experience, expertise and institutional knowledge - not to mention a genuine love for the city of Baltimore and the surrounding area - will be sorely missed."

One editor laid off is John McIntyre, whose own blog You Don't Say is a favorite of mine. He writes about his departure on the blog.

Yesterday, the grim economics of the newspaper business made April 28 my last day at the paper. It was, as they say in theatrical circles, a good run. I had more than two decades of the company of some of the smartest and funniest people I have ever known, working for supportive editors of the paper, and in all that time we struggled day after day to make The Sun a formidable newspaper. We succeeded more often than we failed, and no man has been more fortunate in his colleagues than I have.

But when the curtain falls, you are supposed to get off the stage, and this is my final post at baltimoresun.com. I expect to continue blogging elsewhere, but you will no longer find me at my post here. In addition to colleagues who have been great fun, I have had the good fortune to collect a remarkable corps of loyal readers, and I salute you all with gratitude and affection. You have enriched my life.

Now 60 Journalists Laid Off at Baltimore Sun

UPDATE, 4:23 p.m. Eastern, April 29, 2009: The Baltimore Sun has laid off 60 journalists.

Joe Strupp of Editor & Publisher writes that early today that the first reported number of 15 layoffs might not hold up., and that the number would increase before the day is out.

The mass exodus of editors at The Baltimore Sun is expected to approach 20, according to Newspaper Guild leaders at the paper, who said the layoffs are part of a shift away from traditional newspapering and toward multi-platform content.

They also fear that more cuts, to guild members, are looming with as many as 20 rank-and-file jobs expected to go.

"They are clearly trying to move to be an information producer, not a newspaper publisher," said Angie Kuhl, Guild unit chair at the Sun. "It is a flattening of the newsroom."

Her comments followed Editor Monty Cook's meeting with newsroom staffers late Tuesday, in which he announced at least 15 of the editor-level layoffs, which included both top editorial page editors.

Kuhl said the editor departures are expected to grow to 20 before the end of the day, but do not include Cook. "This is really a devastating hit," she said. "These are experienced journalists with a wealth of knowledge."

A source told DCRTV.com:

"Fifteen mid- and top-level editors just laid off at the Sun... The casualities include: Deputy Managing Editor Paul Moore, Editorial Page Editor Ann LoLordo, Op-Ed Editor Larry Williams, Med/Sci Editor Patricia Fanning, Sports editors Ray Frager and George VanDaniker, Copy Desk Chief John McIntyre, Systems Editor Steve Auerweck, three bureau chiefs (leaving none), Regional Editor Jay Apperson, and Photo Assigning Editor Chuck Weiss. All editors were told to leave the building immediately. A security guard was stationed on the skywalk between the building and the employee parking garage. Rumor has it the Guild employees will get layoff notices this week."

Another source told the website:

"I just read through your brief about the 15 layoffs at the Sun and noticed you have no names for the three bureau chiefs. Their names are Joe DeCarlo, Dan Clemens, and Bill Caulfield. Also receiving a layoff was Eileen Canzian, who was one of our Metro editors and one of the brightest journalists in the room. Their experience, expertise and institutional knowledge - not to mention a genuine love for the city of Baltimore and the surrounding area - will be sorely missed."

One editor laid off is John McIntyre, whose own blog You Don't Say is a favorite of mine. He writes about his departure on the blog.

Yesterday, the grim economics of the newspaper business made April 28 my last day at the paper. It was, as they say in theatrical circles, a good run. I had more than two decades of the company of some of the smartest and funniest people I have ever known, working for supportive editors of the paper, and in all that time we struggled day after day to make The Sun a formidable newspaper. We succeeded more often than we failed, and no man has been more fortunate in his colleagues than I have.

But when the curtain falls, you are supposed to get off the stage, and this is my final post at baltimoresun.com. I expect to continue blogging elsewhere, but you will no longer find me at my post here. In addition to colleagues who have been great fun, I have had the good fortune to collect a remarkable corps of loyal readers, and I salute you all with gratitude and affection. You have enriched my life.

First Swine Flu Death Reported in United States

A 23-month-old child died in Texas from the swine flu virus, according to a report by the Associated Press.

"Even though we've been expecting this, it is very, very sad," said Dr. Richard Besser, acting chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "As a pediatrician and a parent, my heart goes out to the family."

In what has become standard operating procedure in this widening health crisis, Besser went from network to network Wednesday morning to give an update on what the Obama administration is doing. He said authorities essentially are still "trying to learn more about this strain of the flu." His appearances as Germany reported its first cases of swine flu infection, with three victims.

"It's very important that people take their concern and channel it into action," Besser said, adding that "it is crucial that people understand what they need to do if symptoms appear.

"I don't think it (the reported death in Texas) indicates any change in the strain," he said. "We see with any flu virus a spectrum of disease symptoms."

Health officials say that 66 cases of swine flu have been reported in the United States. More than 150 people have died because of the virus in Mexico, where more than 2,000 have been affected. Mexico's health secretary, Jose Cordova, late Tuesday called the death toll there "more or less stable."

Most Doctors Foresee Some Risk Swine Flu Will Become Worldwide Catastrophic Pandemic

A national study among 1,039 physicians released today revealed that a majority of physicians reported that there is some level of risk that the Swine Flu will result in a worldwide catastrophic pandemic.

More than 63 percent of the physicians shared that opinion, the study reported. But only 15 percent of the physicians responded by saying that the government was prepared to deal with a pandemic.

CNN reported at 11:20 p.m. Eastern that 159 people have died of swine flu in Mexico. Hospitalizations for suspected cases of the illness have declined, Mexican Health Minister Jose Cordova said today that there are 1,311 people in the hospital with flu symptoms. The Health Ministry’s fatality estimate increased from 152 yesterday. In the United States, there were 69 suspected cases.

The study, conducted on Monday by HCD Research and the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion, was designed to obtain physicians' perceptions of the recent news that The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention has declared a public health emergency in regard to swine flu.

Above top left is a colorized transmission electron micrograph depicting the A/New Jersey/76 (Hsw1N1) virus, while in the virus’ first developmental passage through a chicken egg. This is an H1N1 strain of influenza A. (Photo credit: Dr. E. Palmer; R.E. Bates; published on www.sciencedaily.com.)

When asked to rate the federal government's level of preparedness to deal with a swine flu pandemic, 15 percent of physicians reported that the government was prepared to deal with a pandemic. Less than one-quarter of physicians (21 percent) reported that the government was not prepared for a pandemic. A similar percentage of physicians (22 percent) were either concerned or extremely concerned that the virus would have an impact on their families, and 16 percent were not concerned that it would have an impact on their families

Among the findings:

Physicians were asked: On a scale of one to seven, where one indicates that your belief that the current situation has a no risk of resulting in a catastrophic pandemic (a large number of deaths worldwide) and seven indicates an extremely high risk, please rate how risky you believe a swine flu epidemic to be. Indicate your prediction regarding the outcome of potential situation.

They responded:

1 - No Risk 1%
2 - Low Risk 13%
Bottom 2 14%
3 - Somewhat Low Risk 14%
4 - Neither At Risk or Not At Risk 9%
5 - Somewhat At Risk 49%
Top 2 14%
6 - High Risk 12%
7 - Extremely High Risk 2%

They were then asked: Using a similar scale, where one indicates that the government is unprepared for a pandemic and seven indicates that the government is extremely prepared; please rate our government's ability to prepare for a possible pandemic.

They responded:

1 - Not At All Prepared 5%
2 - Not Prepared 16%
Bottom 2 21%
3 - Somewhat Not Prepared 16%
4 - Neutral 12%
5 - Somewhat Prepared 36%
Top 2 15%
6 - Prepared 14%
7 - Completely Prepared 1%

They were also asked: Based on what you may or may not already know about the swine flu cases originating from Mexico, please indicate your level of concern regarding whether this virus will have an impact on you and your family using a scale from one to seven. One indicates you have no concern and seven indicates you are extremely concerned.

They responded:

1 - Not At All Concerned 3%
2 - Not Concerned 12%
Bottom 2 15%
3 - Somewhat Not Concerned 11%
4 - Neutral 12%
5 - Somewhat Concerned 41%
Top 2 21%
6 - Concerned 18%
7 - Extremely Concerned 4%

Radio Giant Clear Channel Lays Off 590 Nationwide

The largest owner of radio stations in the United States -- Clear Channel Communications Inc. -- is eliminating 590 jobs, including some on-air personalities. This is its second wave of national layoffs this year as the radio industry faces the same economic pressures that the newspaper is: a struggling economy and shrinking advertising revenue.

All employees will no longer receive a 401(k) match for the rest of the year, starting Friday, its parent company, CC Media Holdings Inc., announced. However, if the company hits 90 percent of its budget goals by Dec. 31, 2009, the matches will be retroactively restored, a company spokeswoman told the Associated Press.

Clear Channel operates more than 800 radio stations, which is more than 9 percent of all radio stations in the United States. The job cuts represent 2.7 percent of the 22,100 employees. Targeted are operational jobs like engineering, accounting and customer service, all in the radio division. An outdoor advertising division, which sells items like billboard space, was not affected.

Charlotte Hall Leaves ASNE Post 'Both Hopeful and Angry'

Charlotte Hall finished her tenure as ASNE president with a note to members describing her frustrations with pundits taking potshots at the industry.

I end my ASNE year both hopeful and angry. Many, in and out of our industry, are working hard to envision new models to support journalism. I cheer them on. But I am angry at the pundits who would dance on newspapers’ graves. Their anti-newspaper vitriol disrespects the work being done by journalists in newsrooms all over America.

These pundits take delight in telling us we are failures. Yet truth be told, the vast majority of local public interest journalism--the watchdog stories, the investigations, the coverage of city hall and the school board, the stories with impact on public policy--is still being done in newspaper newsrooms. And that is why thoughtful people are frightened about the perilous state of newspapers. They know that the loss of every journalist is a loss for democracy. And that is why we must fight on.

Hope has been hard to come by lately, no doubt about it. We have had to say farewell to storied newspapers and talented journalists. And yet I see hope popping up like the brave flowers of spring that rise from frigid ground. I see it in our huge and growing audience--our Web audience is up more than 10 percent in a year, Nielsen reported last week. I see it in the digital skills of our staffs. I see it in the transformation of our newsrooms to digital information centers that also produce a print newspaper. I see it in our ability to engage people through social media. I see it in creation of online communities hosted by our newsrooms. I see it in the redesign of our print papers. I see it in the undiminished commitment to public service journalism.

At this point, I feel like giving the Winston Churchill finale about fighting on the beaches and never giving up. But you are already doing that. You are battling on every front, not for yourself and not for your company, but for the journalists you lead and the communities you serve.

White House Press Corps Gives Gibbs a Mixed Grade for First 100 Days

After 100 days on the job, the White House Press Corps is giving Press Secretary Robert Gibbs a mixed grade, according to Michael Calderone of POLITICO:

Although White House reporters praise some aspects of President Barack Obama's press shop, there’s grumbling about Gibbs' handling of the daily press briefings, where a handful of television correspondents dominate; griping about press management on the president's European trip; and complaints about Gibbs' tendency not to return e-mail messages.

And for a team that rode to Washington on a lot of talk about "transparency," reporters said in interviews with POLITICO this week that the Obama White House has been awfully opaque.

"I guess it depends what your definition of the word 'transparent' is," said Chuck Todd, chief White House correspondent for NBC News.

Adds Wall Street Journal White House reporter Jonathan Weisman: "I think by the press' definition, they have not been transparent at all."

Still, has a reporter ever complained about an administration that's too transparent?

Deputy White House press secretary Bill Burton said that "no reporter would ever in good conscience" admit to getting too much access from the people he covers. That's because, Burton said, "no amount would truly satisfy any good reporter."

By the way, Gibbs gave the press corps an "A".

FOX Network Says No to Obama's Prime Time Press Conference

The FOX network announced this afternoon that it will not televise President Barack Obama's prime-time news conference on Wednesday, and instead stay with its regular entertainment programming.

The news conference marks Obama's 100th day as president. But FOX viewers will see an episode of the Tim Roth drama "Lie to Me."

It's the first time a broadcast network has refused Obama's request. This will be the third prime-time news conference in Obama's presidency. ABC, CBS and NBC are airing it.

Obama Gets Ahead of TelePrompter

President Barack Obama stumbled today giving a speech at the National Academy of Sciences as he got ahead of his script. It seems the TelePrompter and the president were not on the same page.