LA Times Axes 20 Percent Of Newsroom In Mass Layoffs: Report

LOS ANGELES, CA — The Los Angeles Times announced Tuesday that it was laying off at least 115 people — more than 20 percent of the newsroom — four days after workers staged the paper's first newsroom union work stoppage in its 142-year history.

The Times reported that the publication "could no longer lose $30 million to $40 million a year without making progress toward building higher readership that would bring in advertising and subscriptions to sustain the organization."

“Today’s decision is painful for all, but it is imperative that we act urgently and take steps to build a sustainable and thriving paper for the next generation. We are committed to doing so,” Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, the paper's owner, said.

Matt Pearce, a union leader and reporter at the Times, wrote on X that 94 union members were being notified of being laid off Tuesday, which amounts to a quarter of the L.A. Times Guild's membership.

"This total, while devastating, is nonetheless far lower than the total number of Guild layoffs initial expected last week," he wrote. "A newsroom-wide email from L.A. Times President and COO Chris Argentieri just now acknowledges that the company decided to reduce the number of [union] members to be laid off after we went on strike last week."

Friday's walkout was prompted by management's request to waive seniority provisions in the union's contract covering layoffs, according to a statement from the guild.

The layoffs follow the departure earlier this month of executive editor Kevin Merida, who told the Times he left over disagreements with Soon- Shiong over his role and newsroom strategy. Managing Editor Sara Yasin resigned Monday, following the earlier departure of fellow Managing Editor Shani O. Hilton — representing half of the four-person team that was overseeing the newsroom following Merida's departure.

Tuesday's layoffs follow the elimination last summer of more than 70 newsroom positions at The Times.

"It is indeed difficult to reflect upon the recent tumultuous years, during which our business faced significant challenges, including losses that surpassed $100 million in operational and capital expenses," Soon-Shiong said in remarks reported by The Times. "Despite these difficulties, we made a deliberate decision to abstain from implementing layoffs within our newsroom during the COVID pandemic, maintaining the newsroom headcount throughout until the last several months despite the losses.

City News Service contributed to this report.