Chicago Tribune Looking To Further Trim News Staff

The Chicago Tribune, following a trend of downsizing news organizations, offered a buyout to its unionized newsroom employees on Thursday, the first since Alden Global Capital acquired the newspaper in 2021. 

In an email to union staff, the Tribune cited “business necessity” limiting the number of eligible positions but did not specify the buyout’s scope or mention potential layoffs. The voluntary separation plan offers up to 12 weeks of pay for employees with up to 12 years of service, and a maximum of 21 weeks for longer-tenured staff. Employees have until July 7, 2025, to apply, with accepted applicants departing by July 11.

Tribune Publishing, based in Chicago, declined to comment. The Chicago Tribune Guild, representing 77 journalists at the city’s largest daily newspaper, formed seven years ago and ratified its first labor contract in November. This marks the first buyout offer since Alden’s $633 million acquisition of Tribune Publishing in May 2021, which triggered a voluntary exit of over 40 journalists, including prominent reporters and editors.

Alden, now the second-largest U.S. newspaper owner behind Gannett, also controls MediaNews Group, with titles like the Denver Post and San Jose Mercury News. 

The buyout aligns with industry-wide declines, as the 2024 State of Local News report from Northwestern’s Medill School notes a 73% drop in newspaper jobs (266,000) since 2005, including a 60% reduction in newsroom roles (45,000). In March, the Chicago Sun-Times saw over a fifth of its staff, including 23 reporters and editors, accept buyouts to avoid layoffs under its nonprofit owner, Chicago Public Media.