Projo Cuts Reporter, Editors and Photographer and 3 Leave Newport Daily News

Projo Cuts Reporter, Editors and Photographer and 3 Leave Newport Daily News

The Providence Journal and Newport Daily News lost a total of at least seven staffers on Friday. Both papers are owned by newspaper conglomerate GateHouse Media.

The cuts and departures include some of the best-known remaining names at the Providence newspaper.

Deputy Editorial Page Editor Randy Edgar, reporter Andy Smith, photographer Glenn Osmundson, and online producer Stephen Ide were let go from the Providence Journal. The Projo layoffs are just part of the story.

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The Newport Daily News' Ann Randall, Jane Bailey, Debbie Deming left the paper as well.

Alan Rosenberg, Executive Editor of the Providence Journal told GoLocal, “We had some layoffs in Providence yesterday, due to continued difficult business conditions. We’ll continue to deploy staff and freelance writers to make sure that we are covering Rhode Island’s most interesting and important stories.”

Rosenberg said the staff reductions in Newport were not layoffs. “There weren't any layoffs there; the people who left were part of a voluntary reduction in the pre-press department," said Rosenberg. 

Rosenberg declined to disclose how many news reporters the paper now employs, but two sources say there are now just 13 reporters.

Latest for Projo

The cutbacks are devastating to the Providence Journal. The editorial page is now left with just one editorial writer - Ed Achorn.

About a decade ago the paper had seven full-time editorial page writers, confirmed former Providence Journal Editorial Page Editor Robert Whitcomb, who is now a GoLocal columnist.

The layoffs drew reactions on social media. The RI Ethics Commission Chairman Tweeted, “Losing @RandyEdgar1 is going to hurt. He brought a reporter’s need to get the facts right to the editorial page.  Only editor that ever called me to do that.”

And, former Providence Journal and reporter M. Charles Bakst posted to Facebook, “I am appalled at what happened to you but not surprised. So much talent there has been discarded. How very sad.”

GateHouse Media Cuts Across the Country

GateHouse’s parent entity, New Media Investment Group, has seen a significant stock decline in the past three months dropping more than 18 percent.

GateHouse has been closing newspapers and printing facilities across the country over the past month. Forty GateHouse employees lost their jobs when the Stockton, CA printing press was closed.

This article was first published 9/16/18 2:30 AM.