From the Weekly Dig’s “Media Farm” column:
The Metro was widely ridiculed last month for erroneously reporting that “hundreds of layoffs” at the Globe were imminent. The Globe labeled the report “factually incorrect,” saying, “There are no plans for a staff reduction of the size cited in the Metro.” The Metro stuck by its story, and it turned out to be almost kinda correct. Or at least more correct than anyone gave them credit for (ourselves included).
The Globe is eliminating 60 jobs, which, the last time I checked, was somewhat less than “hundreds.” And while I’m being technical about it, there may not be a single layoff.
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Yes, the Weekly Dig seems to be in need of some remedial math tutoring but fact of the matter is that 80 jobs (between the Globe and the T&G) are being axed, whether that involves layoffs or not. One thing very conspicuously missing in all of the reporting (print, TV and Web) about the job eliminations was any mention of the breakdown across departments at the newspaper. TV reporting at the time implied this would be 60 Globe newsroom jobs eliminated but, unless I’m really missing the obvious, I haven’t heard or read how the jobs will be apportioned. When Gatehouse laid off 3 dozen people (and eliminated another 2 dozen other open jobs) recently, I think the jobs were spread across the news, productoin, maintenence and some other departments in different parts of the company, like Brockton, Quincy, Plymouth and Framingham. Did anyone report the breakdown of jobs being cut at the Globe and Telegram?
I don’t see why the Dig needs some math help. Media Farm says “it turned out to be almost kinda correct,” which I read as “the numbers were off in the Metro, but the Globe is indeed hemorrhaging jobs.”
Adam: Insiders had known for weeks that cuts were coming. It was “hundreds” that got everyone’s attention.