The New York Daily News is shedding about half of its editorial team, marking a grim development for the venerable but beleaguered tabloid.
An email sent to staffers on Monday morning said that the paper’s parent company Tronc is “fundamentally restructuring the Daily News,” an effort that will gut the newsroom and dramatically shift editorial priorities. The unsigned email was sent from Tronc’s “talent and engagement” team.
“We are reducing today the size of the editorial team by approximately 50 percent and re-focusing much of our talent on breaking news — especially in areas of crime, civil justice and public responsibility,” read the email, which was obtained by CNN. “We know our readers look to us for a unique point of view, and we believe these topics offer our best opportunity to differentiate our reporting. We will, of course, continue to cover local news, sports and other events, but our approach will evolve as we adapt to our current environment.”
The email said the employees “exiting the business will leave immediately,” although “they will continue to be paid for the next 90 days and be eligible for transitional benefits after that.”
A Tronc spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
Among those leaving will be a pair of newsroom leaders: editor-in-chief Jim Rich and managing editor Kristen Lee. Rich will be replaced by Robert York, the publisher and editor-in-chief of The Morning Call, a Tronc-owned daily newspaper in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
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