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Times Will Offer Employee Buyouts and Eliminate Public Editor’s Role New York Times Will Offer Employee Buyouts and Eliminate Public Editor Role
(about 1 hour later)
The New York Times offered buyouts to its newsroom employees on Wednesday, aiming to reduce layers of editing and requiring more of the editors who remain.The New York Times offered buyouts to its newsroom employees on Wednesday, aiming to reduce layers of editing and requiring more of the editors who remain.
In a memo to the newsroom, Dean Baquet, the executive editor, and Joseph Kahn, the managing editor, said the current system of “backfielders” and copy editors — two separate groups who have different tasks before a story is published — would be replaced with a single group of editors who would be responsible for all aspects of a story. Another editor would be “looking over their shoulders before publication.”In a memo to the newsroom, Dean Baquet, the executive editor, and Joseph Kahn, the managing editor, said the current system of “backfielders” and copy editors — two separate groups who have different tasks before a story is published — would be replaced with a single group of editors who would be responsible for all aspects of a story. Another editor would be “looking over their shoulders before publication.”
“Our goal is to significantly shift the balance of editors to reporters at The Times, giving us more on-the-ground journalists developing original work than ever before,” they said in the memo.“Our goal is to significantly shift the balance of editors to reporters at The Times, giving us more on-the-ground journalists developing original work than ever before,” they said in the memo.
In a separate memo, Arthur Sulzberger Jr., the publisher, said The Times would be eliminating the position of public editor. Liz Spayd, the current public editor, will leave The Times on Friday.In a separate memo, Arthur Sulzberger Jr., the publisher, said The Times would be eliminating the position of public editor. Liz Spayd, the current public editor, will leave The Times on Friday.
The buyouts are aimed primarily at editors, but reporters and others in the newsroom would be free to apply as well, the memo said. Mr. Baquet and Mr. Kahn said that the savings would be used to hire as many as 100 more journalists.The buyouts are aimed primarily at editors, but reporters and others in the newsroom would be free to apply as well, the memo said. Mr. Baquet and Mr. Kahn said that the savings would be used to hire as many as 100 more journalists.
The offer comes as The Times tries to transform from a legacy print operation to a more digitally focused newsroom. Reducing the layers of editing was one of the primary recommendations in an internal study issued in January, the 2020 Report, that serves as a blueprint for that transformation.The offer comes as The Times tries to transform from a legacy print operation to a more digitally focused newsroom. Reducing the layers of editing was one of the primary recommendations in an internal study issued in January, the 2020 Report, that serves as a blueprint for that transformation.
The Times could turn to layoffs if there are not enough volunteers for buyouts, Mr. Baquet and Mr. Kahn said in the memo.The Times could turn to layoffs if there are not enough volunteers for buyouts, Mr. Baquet and Mr. Kahn said in the memo.
In May, the Times Company reported strong digital growth, including a 19 percent gain in digital advertising revenue.In May, the Times Company reported strong digital growth, including a 19 percent gain in digital advertising revenue.
But those gains were not enough to offset an ongoing, industrywide decline in print advertising, which has historically been the main revenue source for newspaper companies. Print advertising at The Times fell 18 percent in the most recent quarter, causing an overall advertising revenue decline of 7 percent.But those gains were not enough to offset an ongoing, industrywide decline in print advertising, which has historically been the main revenue source for newspaper companies. Print advertising at The Times fell 18 percent in the most recent quarter, causing an overall advertising revenue decline of 7 percent.
The company has increasingly relied on subscription revenue, which spiked as Americans closely followed the United States presidential election in November and the beginning of President Trump’s term. The Times added 308,000 net digital-only subscribers in the most recent quarter, the most of any quarter in its history, leading to an 11 percent increase in circulation revenue.The company has increasingly relied on subscription revenue, which spiked as Americans closely followed the United States presidential election in November and the beginning of President Trump’s term. The Times added 308,000 net digital-only subscribers in the most recent quarter, the most of any quarter in its history, leading to an 11 percent increase in circulation revenue.
It was the second consecutive quarter of record-breaking subscriber growth, with the last three months of 2016 bringing 276,000 new digital-only subscriptions, more than the additions of 2013 and 2014 combined. The Times now has more than 2.2 million digital-only subscribers.It was the second consecutive quarter of record-breaking subscriber growth, with the last three months of 2016 bringing 276,000 new digital-only subscriptions, more than the additions of 2013 and 2014 combined. The Times now has more than 2.2 million digital-only subscribers.
In announcing the elimination of the public editor’s role, Mr. Sulzberger wrote: “Our followers on social media and our readers across the internet have come together to collectively serve as a modern watchdog, more vigilant and forceful than one person could ever be. Our responsibility is to empower all of those watchdogs, and to listen to them, rather than to channel their voice through a single office.”In announcing the elimination of the public editor’s role, Mr. Sulzberger wrote: “Our followers on social media and our readers across the internet have come together to collectively serve as a modern watchdog, more vigilant and forceful than one person could ever be. Our responsibility is to empower all of those watchdogs, and to listen to them, rather than to channel their voice through a single office.”
On Tuesday, The Times announced the creation of the Reader Center, an initiative that appeared to overlap somewhat with the public editor’s role.On Tuesday, The Times announced the creation of the Reader Center, an initiative that appeared to overlap somewhat with the public editor’s role.