NY Times Shuffles Top Editors, Finishes Layoffs
The New York Times shuffled its top editors Monday and said buyouts had saved the paper enough money to avoid a sweeping round of layoffs.
In a memo to the employees, executive editor Jill Abramson said recent layoffs were kept to a minimum, but did not say which or how many employees were pink-slipped. Times spokeswoman Eileen Murphy told TheWrap said the company laid off a "very limited number" of employees, and declined to release numbers.''
Abramson said in her memo that the buyouts cost the Times some of its top talent. Most of the exiting staffers had been previously named, but Abramson said Monday that deputy managing editor William E. Schmidt was also leaving.
Among the promotions, former business editor Larry Ingrassia was named assistant managing editor of new initiatives, which will include a big international expansion. Last year, the Times started versions of its site in Mandarin and Portuguese in an effort to tap into growing Chinese and Brazilian audiences.
Also read: NY Times Offers 30 Buyouts, Layoffs Expected
Janet Elder, who previously led the paper's polling and survey arm, will become the assistant managing editor for newsroom resources, overseeing the paper's budget.
Charles Ian Fisher, until now an associate managing editor, was named assistant managing editor for content operations, overseeing the integration of print and digital.
Rick Berke, an assistant managing editor, will now head the paper's growing video department. And Glenn Kramon, another assistant managing editor, will join the business department leading technology coverage.
Deputy sports editor Jason Stallman will replace Joe Sexton, who announced last week he was heading to ProPublica.
Also read: NY Times Culture Editor Jonathan Landman to Leave Paper
Culture editor Jonathan Landman announced on Jan. 2 that he had accepted a buyout. Abramson said she would announce the new culture editor in the next two weeks.
Among the departing staffers are managing editor John M. Geddes, assistant managing editor and popular Twitter personality Jim Roberts and classical music editor James R. Oestreich.
"In the coming days and weeks we will have time to pause and express our affection and boundless gratitude for our departing colleagues," Abramson said in the memo. "Some of the longest-serving leaders in the newsroom are leaving, people who have given the Times so much of themselves and are responsible for so much of our excellence."
Abramson said in early December that she needed 30 non-unionized managers to accept buyouts or the company would face layoffs. The company also invited employees represented by the New York Newspaper Guild to volunteer for buyout packages.
The buyout offer expired last Thursday.
Here's the full text of the memo, via the New York Times:
Related Articles:
NY Times Culture Editor Jonathan Landman to Leave Paper
NY Times Classical Music Critic James Oestreich Decides to Leave (Updated)
