It was a tough week in journalism.
The L.A. Times announced the layoffs of 115 people from its newsroom. With last year’s layoffs — 80 positions — their newsroom has shrunk by one-third.
Time and National Geographic magazine also announced layoffs. Sports Illustrated just eliminated its entire editorial staff. And staffers at Conde Nast held a one-day strike over planned cuts
So what lessons do we take from this grim news? Well, being owned by billionaires, as is the case at the L.A. Times and Washington Post, does not protect the news industry. Corporate ownership hasn’t been the solution in local journalism for 30 years.
But we’re here. And we’re building the local journalism of the future. Our model is one that works: A community-owned nonprofit with wide support from readers who value what we do. Readers like you. Readers in the thousands who donate to us, who subscribe to our print editions and who advertise in our digital and print platforms.
We are growing, not shrinking. We are investing in our newsroom, not slicing and dicing it.
And we need your help to continue to do that. I’m asking you to join us with an investment in local news.
Support us today. It’s easy. Hit the donate button at GrowingCommunityMedia.org.
Dan Haley
Publisher
Growing Community Media NFP