Philly Inquirer Cuts Ad Staff In Half

Almost half of the advertising department at the Philadelphia Inquirer has either accepted a buyout package or been laid off, according to the Philadelphia Business Journal citing both management and the NewsGuild of Greater Philadelphia, and CBS3 has reportedly laid off 14 people as part of broader cuts announced by parent company CBS Viacom.

The cuts are part of a larger trend at print and broadcast media outlets who have been hit hard by steep declines in advertising revenue during the coronavirus pandemic.

At the Inquirer, there were 32 buyouts and layoffs, with 26 emanating from the advertising department and six from the newsroom.

In late April, management offered buyouts to all 55 members of the advertising department. According to an April 22 bulletin sent by Guild Executive Director Bill Ross and President Diane Mastrull to membership, layoffs would follow if at least 20 staffers in the department did not voluntarily apply for the buyout package.

Ross said Thursday that 20 members of the advertising department accepted the buyouts and the Inquirer laid off six other employees. This is the company’s fourth staff reduction in five years.

Ross said all employees received contractual severance pay and benefits that vary by seniority. A buyout is three weeks of pay per year of service with the company, and three weeks of medical per year of service. He said layoffs were done based on seniority and those six employees received double the severance and benefits as a penalty under the collective bargaining agreement.

“Obviously, due to revenue losses in advertising, the employer had to resort to buyouts and layoffs,” Ross said. “Appreciated the employer doing its best to wait through the pandemic to shed staff, but understand it. Our members are long-term dedicated employees and pros. They understood the situation, and thanks to our contract, received severance pay and unused vacation and personal days.”

At the request of the Guild, the Inquirer also extended a buyout opportunity to newsroom employees aged 65 and older. The Guild told members last month that it was simply a courtesy from management “because some in the newsroom have been asking about buyout options,” but the note was clear that there were no plans for newsroom layoffs. Five newsroom employees accepted buyout packages, including veteran sports columnist Bob Ford and news editor David Lee Preston.

Lauren Kauffman, vice president of people and culture at the Inquirer, said that since Feb. 23 a total of 23 Guild members accepted buyout packages and an addition nine were laid off.