Providence Journal Reportedly Lays Off 50 Year Veteran Months Before Her Retirement

Providence Journal Reportedly Lays Off 50 Year Veteran Months Before Her Retirement

Gannett, the largest newspaper group in the country, has been slashing staff across the country. Now, the company has reportedly cut one of the Providence Journal's longest-serving employees.

Providence Journal food critic Gail Ciampa tweeted Monday night that the newspaper has laid off Janet Butler, a 50 year veteran of the newspaper just 4 months before her planned retirement.

Ciampa tweeted, "The heart of our newsroom was laid off today. Janet Butler was retiring in [September] after 51 years. She compiled food notes, fundraisers, people in business and other columns. Janet Butler has worked behind the scenes for 50 years."

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On January 4, the Providence Journal wrote a feature about Butler, writing, "You’ve only seen Janet Butler’s byline once. She didn’t come to The Providence Journal to be a writer, and she’s only made one exception. But for 50 years, she’s been a behind-the-scenes fixture."

Gannett has been laying journalists across the country over the past week. The newspaper group owns nearly 300 daily newspapers and has lost more than 90% of its stock value in the past year.