The bad news for US newspapers is escalating.

July 16 (Bloomberg) -- Gannett Co., the largest U.S. newspaper publisher, said second-quarter profit declined 36 percent after advertising sales at USA Today plunged. The stock dropped to its lowest level since 1985.

USA Today's ad sales fell 27 percent in June, the steepest monthly decline this year and worse than the 16 percent drop reported for all Gannett publications. During the quarter, the company's national advertising slid 14 percent to $168.9 million because of cutbacks by retailers and carmakers.

"The weakening economy had a dramatic impact on our results,'' Chief Executive Craig Dubow said in the statement.

Courtesy of the Portland Business Journal July 14

The Oregonian newspaper is closing three metro bureaus and merging the staffs into three other bureaus.

Fred Stickel, publisher of Oregon's largest daily newspaper, said the staff of the bureaus in Gresham, Tigard and Vancouver, Wash., will move to the south bureau in Oregon City, the west bureau in Southwest Portland and the Multnomah County bureau in Portland.

Stickel on Monday confirmed the Gresham bureau staff will move to the Multnomah County bureau, but said details for the other bureaus are still being worked out.

Stickel said there would be no layoffs of staff as a result of the consolidation of the bureaus and that coverage of Gresham, Tigard and Vancouver, Wash., will not be affected.

Atlanta Paper Cuts 200
courtesy breitbart.com
July 16

ATLANTA (AP) - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is cutting its staff by nearly 200 jobs, or about 8 percent of its work force, and eliminating some targeted news sections.

In a news release Wednesday, Publisher John Mellott said the moves are aimed at cutting expenses amid dwindling advertising revenues and steadily increasing fuel and newsprint costs. Mellott said the job cuts will be mainly in the news and advertising departments between August and October through voluntary buyouts and layoffs.

The newspaper will cut 85 positions from its newsroom, 27 of which are vacant, said Journal-Constitution spokeswoman Jennifer Morrow.

The company has a staff of 2,300 people, according to a news release.