Old Grey Lady Cuts 100 Newsroom Jobs

New York Times editor Bill Keller e-mailed in word today to his staffers that the paper is going to cut 100 newsroom jobs by the end of December. Times staffers had already taken 5 percent pay cuts earlier this year to fend off job losses.

In a memo to staff about the latest cuts, Keller says he's home sick with "something that seems to be the flu." "Though I strongly believe in delivering bad news in person, I don't want to add insult to injury by spreading infection," he writes.

Keller says the cuts will be achieved through voluntary buyouts. If fewer than 100 people sign up for the buyouts, layoffs will commence. More budget cuts are slated for the business side and the op-ed pages.

So, what does this mean for the Times' coverage? Keller insists the cut will still "leave us with the largest, strongest and most ambitious editorial staff of any newsroom in the country."

Still, he notes, "I won't pretend that these staff cuts will not add to the burdens of journalists whose responsibilities have grown faster than their compensation."

Keller ends his note wryly, telling staffers to ask questions of his lieutenants, or "save them the next Throw Stuff at Bill session." Photo (cc) Robert Scoble.