Dallas Morning News Lay-Offs Impact 26 Staffers

Hearst Corporation is eliminating 26 positions at The Dallas Morning News, including the newspaper’s entire copy desk and sports copy desk, just two months after acquiring the paper in September 2025.

The layoffs will outsource all print page design and production to an external vendor starting in March 2026, following Hearst’s centralized production model used across its other newspapers.

The Dallas News Guild immediately called the cuts a “blatant violation” of its 2023 collective bargaining agreement, which caps outsourcing-related job losses at 20 over three years. The union says it will fight the move through grievances and legal channels.

Hearst says the 26 cuts will be partially offset by 18 new newsroom hires focused on reporting and digital innovation, plus a $6,000 increase in the minimum newsroom salary. The company described the restructuring as necessary to invest in “high-impact journalism” amid declining print revenue.

The Dallas Morning News, purchased from DallasNews Corporation for $88 million, had already cut 85 newsroom jobs in late 2024 before the sale. The latest reductions represent a net loss of eight positions in a newsroom of approximately 157 people.

Affected employees were notified November 19 and are eligible for severance packages and encouraged to apply for other roles within Hearst.