The Associated Press laid off 20 U.S.-based journalists on Friday, the News Media Guild said, as part of a broader restructuring that moves the organization away from traditional print journalism toward visual storytelling and new revenue streams.
The cuts were completed by the end of the business day, the union reported. AP had notified the guild earlier Friday morning that layoffs would take effect immediately.
“This is part of the restructuring we announced last month to align our operations with what our top customers need from us today,” AP spokesman Patrick Maks said in an email. “It’s never easy to part ways with valued colleagues — we are appreciative of their contributions to the AP and wish them all the best.”
Union leaders criticized the moves. “Today’s cuts show just how directionless AP’s leadership has become,” said Kimberlee Kruesi, an AP reporter and the guild’s acting president. “The company touts that it is prioritizing visual journalism, yet among the 20 employees sacked today are experienced photographers.”
The restructuring aims to reduce AP’s global staff by less than 5%, executive editor Julie Pace said last month. “We’re making these changes from a position of strength,” she added, noting the news cooperative “is not in trouble” but must adapt to a changing customer base.
AP’s revenue from newspapers has fallen 25% over the past four years. Major publishers Gannett and McClatchy dropped the service in 2024. Broadcast, digital, and technology companies now dominate its customer list, with revenue from tech firms growing 200% in the same period, according to chief revenue officer Kristin Heitmann.