Newspaper woes hit the Plattsburgh Press-Republican

Newspapers across the U.S. are in freefall: with some closing, others eliminating whole sections, going entirely on-line, or laying off staff.

The Plattsburgh daily, the Press-Republican, announced over the weekend that it’s asking all full-time staff to take five unpaid leave days in the next quarter.

Reporter Joe LoTemplio described the move as “part of a corporate cost-cutting measure.”

The decision was made by the paper’s owner, Community Newspaper Holdings Inc. of Alabama, and will affect all 100-plus papers in the group.

P-R Publisher Robert Parks said that in a letter to employees, CNHI President and CEO Donna Barrett stated, “The poor economy continues to negatively impact businesses across the company, including those we rely on for advertising revenue.

Until we see meaningful recovery in the economy, we must reduce expenses while maintaining our ability to serve our customers and readers.”

So far, the P-R hasn’t laid off workers, though some jobs have been cut through attrition. The paper is one of the region’s largest private employers, with around 130 workers.

Tags: economy