Baltimore Sun Lays Off 1/3 Of Newsroom; One Victim Says 'They Probably Did Me A Favor'
The Baltimore Sun’s mass layoffs of 61 newsroom staffers (in a newsroom of only 200 to begin with) have cut the paper to levels some say is a “gutting” of the largest newspaper in Maryland.
One staffer, who had put in more than 22 years as an editorial aide, told blogger and former Sun reporter David Ettlin that the company “probably did me a favor. The last couple of years have been really bad.” She was transferred from one bureau to another as each suburban office shut down.
As for the Sun’s strategy? “We are going to become a 24-hour local newsgathering operation that more effectively gathers news and distributes it among our many platforms,” including print, online and mobile, Renee Mutchnik said. “This is our plan for success, not just survival.”
Ettlin rounded up many of the names of those who lost their jobs. Read after the jump. We’re sorry there’s not more we can do.
Phyllis Brill, copy editor
Mike Kane, copy editor
Beth Hughes, copy editor
Peggy Cunningham, copy editor
Mark Fleming, copy editor
Paul Bendel-Simso, copy editor
Jeffrey Landaw, copy editor
Shirdell McDonald, staff artist
Wes Harvey, staff artist
Bernie Kohn, business editor
Roshod Ollison, pop music critic
Phyllis Kisner, librarian
Dave Zeiler, page designer
Bill Wachsberger, page designer
Todd Windsor, page designer
Tracy Logsdon Dieter, page designer
Ann LoLordo, opinion editor
Larry E. Williams, deputy opinion editor
Paul M. Moore, deputy editor
Bill Ordine, sports reporter
Rick Maese, sports columnist
David Steele, sports columnist
Ray Frager, sports editor
George VanDaniker, sports editor
Chuck Weiss, photo editor
Monica Lopossay, photographer
Glenn Fawcett, photographer
Chiaki Kawajiri, photographer
Liz Malby, photographer
Doug Kapustin, photographer
Danielle Bradley, photo technician
Denise Sanders, photo technician
Ellie Baublitz, editorial assistant
Fay Lande, editorial assistant
