FIVE STATE NEWSPAPERS CUT 81 JOBS, REDUCE WAGES 2.5 TO 10 PERCENT

If you’re signed up for the TPS Report, then you already knew that The McClatchy Company would be laying off 1,600 employees around the country, including five newspapers in South Carolina. And today, those publications announced the layoffs.

All total, the cuts cost 81 jobs at The State, The Myrtle Beach Sun News, The Rock Hill Herald, the Beaufort Gazette, and the Hilton Head Island Packet. Those who were able to keep their jobs will see a 2.5 to 10 percent reduction in wages.

The announcement came as difficult economic times and a significant reduction in readership have put the entire newspaper industry on the verge of collapse.

Many experts predict that major newspapers including McClatchy-owned The Miami Herald and possibly even The State could be out of business before the end of this year.

Sadly, one of those let go at The State was editorial page editor Brad Warthen, who was one of the few traditional journalists to embrace new technology. Warthen has not acknowledged the announcement on his blog, but I hope he continues blogging on his own once his time at The State is over.