Massive newsroom layoffs strike McClatchy
McClatchy eliminates over 90 newsroom jobs across thirteen newspapers amid declining revenue
Anonymous
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The Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild said the cuts eliminated 33% of unionized workers at five publications: 10 journalists in Idaho and seven in Washington, including staff at the Idaho Statesman, News Tribune, Tri-City Herald, Olympian and Bellingham Herald.
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McClatchy’s internal memo said the company needed to abandon the status quo and redirect resources toward areas where subscriber interest justified investment: “We need to listen to our subscribers, make choices and focus resources to create the greatest value.”
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At the Miami Herald, the layoffs eliminated dedicated reporters for Miami, Miami Beach and politics; they also included sports editor Andre Fernandez, sportswriter Michelle Kaufman, City Hall reporter Tess Riski and every reporter at the Spanish-language El Nuevo Herald.
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The AI dispute involved McClatchy’s “content scaling agent,” which generated new articles using reporters’ existing work. More than 30 Sacramento Bee staffers said they would withhold their bylines from stories produced with the tool.
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At the Lexington Herald-Leader, political reporter Hannah Pinski said her position was among 12 eliminated, while longtime high-school sports reporter Jared Peck said his final day would be Sept. 25 after more than 25 years with the company.
McClatchy eliminated more than 90 newsroom jobs across at least 13 newspapers in eight states, with some outlets losing roughly one-third of their editorial staff Miami New Times. The cuts affected major publications including the Miami Herald, Lexington Herald-Leader, Kansas City Star, and Charlotte Observer, as well as newspapers in Idaho and Washington. McClatchy blamed a 41% decline in consumer revenue while saying local-news expenses remained flat.
The company's internal memo said it needed to redirect resources toward areas where subscriber interest justified investment Editor & Publisher. The layoffs follow months of staff opposition to McClatchy's AI content tools and efforts to use artificial intelligence in newsroom evaluations, with employees describing the reductions as devastating.
Miami Herald Loses 30 Reporters, Including City Hall Coverage
The Miami Herald, McClatchy's flagship publication, cut about 30 positions—roughly one-third of its newsroom Miami New Times. The layoffs eliminated dedicated reporters covering Miami City Hall, Miami Beach politics, and sports, raising concerns about diminished accountability coverage of the city. The cuts also affected every reporter at El Nuevo Herald, the publication's Spanish-language edition.
Among those laid off were sports editor Andre Fernandez and sportswriter Michelle Kaufman, who had covered Miami's athletic beat The Columbian. City Hall reporter Tess Riski also lost her job. The elimination of dedicated political and city coverage leaves the Miami Herald with reduced capacity to hold local government accountable.
Pacific Northwest Loses 17 Journalists at Five Publications
The Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild reported that McClatchy's cuts eliminated 33% of unionized workers at five newspapers The Olympian. The affected publications included the Idaho Statesman, News Tribune, Tri-City Herald, The Olympian, and Bellingham Herald. The cuts included 10 journalists in Idaho and seven in Washington.
At the Lexington Herald-Leader in Kentucky, political reporter Hannah Pinski was among 12 eliminated positions Editor & Publisher. Longtime high-school sports reporter Jared Peck said his final day would be Sept. 25 after more than 25 years with the company. The Herald-Leader cuts affected coverage of state politics and education.
AI Tools and Subscriber Revenue Drove the Decision
McClatchy's internal memo stated the company needed to listen to subscribers and redirect resources to create the greatest value Editor & Publisher. The company said subscriber interest no longer supported its existing level of investment in local news. The decision to cut jobs followed months of tension over McClatchy's "content scaling agent," a tool that generated articles using reporters' existing work.
More than 30 Sacramento Bee staffers said they would withhold their bylines from stories produced with the AI tool STLPR. The conflict over AI use in newsrooms had intensified as McClatchy sought to incorporate the technology into staff evaluations. Employees and unions described the layoffs as the inevitable result of the company's push to cut costs and automate newsroom functions.
The "McClatchy Massacre" Hits Illinois and Beyond
The Belleville News-Democrat, one of Illinois' oldest newspapers and one of the few publications focused on the Metro East region, lost most of its newsroom staff in the McClatchy cuts STLPR. The publication, which had served southern Illinois for decades, now operates with a skeleton crew. The layoffs threaten to leave entire regions with minimal local news coverage.
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