Cuts coming for Boston Globe & Worcester Telegram & Gazette

From Romenesko:

"Big cuts are coming to the Boston Globe, according to memos from publisher Steve Ainsley and editor Martin Baron. (See story here.)

• According to the memo, the New York Times New England Media Group will see a cut of about 125 employees. The New England Media Group includes the Globe and The Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

About 19 editorial jobs will be slashed at the Globe.

Here are both memos:

January 11, 2007

To the staff:

• As I trust all of you will understand, this is a difficult memo to write.

You know as well as anyone that we are in the middle of one of the most challenging periods in our history. Even though we have the potential to reach larger audiences through the combination of print, online and emerging platforms such as mobile, we still face tough advertising and circulation markets.

One of the first steps we will be taking is to significantly reduce costs to bring them into line with our revenue expectations. Today, I want to address two parts of our cost-reduction plan.

• The New England Media Group is implementing a staff reduction program with a target of 125 positions.

One component of this program will consist of voluntary buyouts that will be offered to eligible Exempt and Newspaper Guild employees at The Boston Globe and Worcester Telegram and Gazette who have 10 more years of service.

• However, certain functions will be excluded. Boston.com will not be

affected. Eligible employees should receive a detailed explanation of this voluntary offer in the mail at their home during the week of January 29th. This part of the program should be completed by the end of the first quarter.

Here is the link for the balance of the 2 memos, via Romenesko at poynter.org

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