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Los Angeles Times to lay off roughly 115 newsroom staff

By Nithya Bose in Business News, posted January 24, 2024

The Los Angeles Times will reduce its newsroom by over 20 percent, affecting about 115 journalists.

The downsizing comes after a tumultuous period marked by editorial departures and a walkout by workers.

Billionaire owner Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong cited annual losses of $30 million to $40 million.

He said: “It is indeed difficult to reflect upon the recent tumultuous years, during which our business faced significant challenges, including losses that surpassed $100 million in operational and capital expenses.”

Dr. Soon-Shiong, who purchased The Times in 2018, claimed to have invested nearly a billion dollars without specifying the breakdown.

The announcement followed negotiations between the union and Times management, concluding uncertainty about the scale of the cuts.

The newsroom organized a historic walkout last Friday, protesting the planned layoffs.

This month witnessed the sudden departure of executive editor Kevin Merida, with two other top editors, Shani Hilton and Sara Yasin, also announcing their exits.

Affected employees received notification of the layoffs via email, citing a challenging economic environment, and were informed that their last day would be in late March.

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The cuts impacted various departments, including the business desk, Washington bureau, and the "Fast Break" desk covering breaking news.

The Media Guild of the West, representing unionized workers at The Times, reported that 94 laid-off staff were union members.

The total was lower than initially expected, and union leadership said the proposed layoffs were subject to negotiation, buyouts, and potential changes.

A plea was made to colleagues not to sign anything, highlighting the ongoing nature of the process.

The move shrinks The Los Angeles Times newsroom to the size it was when Dr. Soon-Shiong acquired it in 2018.

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