Trib Total Media Cuts 153 Jobs, Merging Metro Papers
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Trib Total Media will lay off more than 150 employees at year's end and consolidate its three main daily newspapers in the Pittsburgh metro area as part of an ongoing reorganization intended to bolster its digital delivery of news, the company announced Tuesday.
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the Tribune-Review in Greensburg and the Valley News Dispatch in Tarentum will become a single paper, the Tribune-Review, the company said. The two suburban papers will become locally zoned editions.
The company also is closing its printing operation in Greensburg and reducing its home delivery footprint, eliminating unprofitable routes.
A redesign of the TribLive website is planned for January, followed later in the year by the release of a series of mobile-first websites, Trib Total said.
A new affiliate, 535 Media, has been created to encompass the Trib's digital, multimedia and other website operations, the Tribune-Review (http://bit.ly/1NpnXXb ) reported.
The affiliate has acquired a 40 percent stake in NewsMax Media, which operates the conservative news website NewsMax.com. Together, they will launch a new venture next year, Trib Total said.
"The digital landscape has dramatically altered how consumers get their news and it is critical that we evolve as a company to deliver the news where, when and how our readers would like to receive it," said Jennifer Bertetto, Trib Total's chief executive.
The company offered buyouts to over 400 long-term employees in August; it said only 68 employees accepted.
At the same time, the newspaper put four of its papers up for sale.
Two remain on the market, The Valley Independent in Monessen and The Daily News in McKeesport. If they are not sold in the next 60 days, the company said they would have to lay off an additional 91 employees and close them in January.
The buyouts, sales and closing of papers to date have not been enough for the company to adapt to the changing business environment, Bertetto said.
As a result, she said the company needed to lay off an additional 153 employees, more than 10 percent of the remaining workforce of about 1,100.
(Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter
