More layoffs at Providence Journal

PROVIDENCE – Layoffs announced last year at the Providence Journal were completed Wednesday with the departure of 12 copy desk employees.

Newspaper Guild President John Hill said copy desk operations largely shifted to a Gatehouse Media design center in Austin, Texas.

Last year, Gatehouse Media acquired the Providence Journal from A.H. Belo Corp., and in September laid off 22 guild members – 14 in advertising and eight in editorial.

Hill said that at the end of January, 13 employees who worked in the advertising makeup department were laid off. He said between eight and 10 ad makeup people remain, as well as a dozen copy desk staffers.

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The guild represents approximately 140 employees, including reporters, copy editors, photographers and those in advertising.

While Hill expressed concern about copy desk operations being conducted “halfway across the country,” he did say that the guild has been told that the Journal is hiring at least four additional reporters. One hire has already been completed, he said.

Meanwhile, Belo still owns the 75 Fountain St. building that houses the Journal offices, but Hill said they have been told that the Journal will need to leave it by September, and find a new location.

“Where that’s going to be, we don’t know,” Hill said, adding he knows that the company has been looking at real estate in the general area.

The Journal also has a production facility in the city on Kinsley Avenue.

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