WPRI | Rhode Island Public Radio
Twelve Providence Newspaper Guild members have taken buyouts from The Providence Journal, Ted Nesi reports, but Guild President John Hill still expects layoffs.
Four of the 12 worked in the newsroom. Between them, Nesi and Rhode Island Public Radio’s Ian Donnis report that Tracy Breton, religion reporter Richard Dujardin and editorial board member Froma Harrop have taken the packages. Hill told Nesi he expects layoffs by the end of the month.
The Journal laid off 23 people last November. Its March 2013 publisher’s statement filed with the Alliance for Audited Media showed average Sunday circulation at 111,404, down about 9 percent from the same month the year before. Ad sales at the A.H. Belo-owned paper fell 14 percent this past spring, the company said in an SEC filing. It announced in September it would seek 30 job cuts.
