In an unprecedented move, the Los Angeles Times has announced the termination of approximately 20 percent of its workforce, equating to around 115 employees.
This marks the most significant single instance of layoffs in the newspaper's 143-year history. The Black, Latino, AAPI, and MENASA Caucuses have expressed their concerns, stating that the "journalists of color" are grappling with "devastating implications."
The layoffs have resulted in a significant reduction in the caucuses' membership, with the Latino Caucus losing 38 percent of its members, the Black Caucus 36 percent, and the other caucuses 34 percent. The minority groups have accused the LA Times of reneging on its commitment to diversify the newsroom, as some of its members were among those dismissed.
In a statement, the caucuses said, "Our newspaper's ownership made a promise to bring in talented journalists from diverse backgrounds so that our staff reflects the city we cover, in the most populous state in the country. These proposed cuts would damage what incremental progress has been made."
Chris Rufo of the Manhattan Institute criticized the caucuses' statement, saying, "This is the statement from the LA Times' DEI caucuses complaining about the recent layoffs. Notice that they only defend their work on the basis of race, not on quality, merit, or the bottom line. DEI is purely ideological, subordinating journalism to racial box-checking."
The statement further highlighted the potential impact of the cuts on the paper's Latino-focused initiative, De Los, which they claim will be "gutted" by these layoffs. The statement read, "This proposal would deal a disastrous blow to the efforts to build a newsroom in Los Angeles, where half of all residents are Latino. The cuts would also leave fewer than 20 Black staffers in the Guild, making it all but impossible to reach the company's promised goal of 44 Black staffers by 2025. The newsroom's sole reporting positions dedicated to covering Southern California's diverse Black and Asian communities will be eliminated."
The caucuses concluded their statement by reiterating the company's broken pledge to diversify the newsroom and coverage for the benefit of The Los Angeles Times and the communities it serves.
In response to the layoffs, the paper's owner, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, stated that the terminations were necessitated by the publication's annual loss of $40 million, which could no longer be sustained without a boost in subscriptions and advertisements. "Todays decision is painful for all, but it is imperative that we act urgently and take steps to build a sustainable and thriving paper for the next generation. We are committed to doing so," Soon-Shiong said.
This round of layoffs follows the elimination of over 70 positions in June of last year, representing roughly 13 percent of the staff. Among those dismissed on Tuesday was LA Times opinion columnist Jean Guerrero, known for her critical pieces on conservative officials and pundits, including former President Donald Trump.
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