Pioneer Press cuts mimic MediaNews’ national strategy

The Star Tribune is reporting that, according to unnamed sources in the Pioneer Press newsroom, 22 employees–including columnist Laura Billings–have been granted buyouts as part of the paper’s downsizing. Deborah Caulfield Rybak writes:

Newsroom sources contacted Wednesday said they were not aware of any buyout request that had been denied, although several staffers have changed their minds and rescinded their requests…

Staffers said the buyouts have come from all areas of the newsroom — news, features, photography, sports and business, along with several key editing positions.

The deal is part of owner MediaNews Group‘s response to a reported dip in ad revenues and is matched around the country: the multiple Pulitzer-winning San Jose Mercury News will cut 101 positions, and the company’s Contra Costa Times saw its editor leave when his job became redundant.  (On Tuesday, a judge temporarily halted further consolidation of business operations at several California papers until antitrust allegations can be investigated.) The cuts go beyond newsrooms as well: the San Francisco Bay Guardian reports that, in an attempt to “circumvent those pesky labor unions,” MediaNews is outsourcing functions like ad production to India.