The SFN Blog reported yesterday that publishers of The Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram and Maine Today announced that they are eliminating 27 positions, of which 15 will be layoffs, due to a "weakening national economy," according to Charles C. Cochrane, Publisher and Chief Executive Officer. Also, this year's advertising so far is "considerably below budget," a situation that doesn't seem to be improving for the rest of the year.

Every department of the newspaper, including Maine Today, the paper's online service, will be affected by the part-and full-time position job reductions. However, reporters will not be laid off "in an effort to preserve local news coverage.," said Cochrane.

Furthermore, he plans on cutting the newshole, "the percentage of the newspaper devoted to news and photographs," and "supplemental" wire news services.

Other newspapers in Maine have already laid off employees due to a failing advertising revenue, such as the Times Record in Brunswick last month.



Sources: SFN