Guild responds to BANG-EB announcement *

From MediaNewsMonitor: “By now you've read John Armstrong's latest memo, and most likely, received your buyout packet. Times are tough, we know, but we're dismayed that the only way this company seems to deal with adverse conditions is to cut, cut, cut rather than to improve, improve, improve. Sure, they're offering a buyout rather than going straight to layoffs, but for many of us this means having to decide by the end of next week whether to abandon our journalism careers for less than half a year's pay. Those who were considering leaving anyway can do so with some money in their pockets, and that's great. But what of the rest of us, the ones who can't leave or simply can't bear to abandon journalism to the bottom line? ” Full post

* From SF Chronicle: Luther Jackson, executive officer with the San Jose Newspaper Guild, called the announcement "sad news" for the communities, readers and advertisers served by the local newspapers. "It's going to be very difficult to continue to give people what they need," he said. He added that newspapers are stuck in a vicious circle: As more jobs are cut, newspapers provide less to readers, fewer people subscribe, less is spent on advertising and further layoffs are needed. "That's a serious problem, particularly at a time when the industry clearly needs to innovate and move ahead," he said.