The Palladium-Item is reporting that ten additional staff positions, including some in the news department, have been cut:

The cuts came from several departments, including news, advertising, pre-press, financial and circulation, Palladium-Item general manager and executive editor Mickey Johnson told employees. The cuts were a part of nationwide changes made by Gannett Co. Inc.

In a related discussion thread, online editor Jason Truitt discussed the cuts:

Was I blind-sided by the layoffs announcement? No. The furloughs in the first two quarters of this year were a temporary measure in the hopes the economy would quickly turn around. When it didn't, it was obvious more permanent measures would have to be taken. The only question was if it would be in the form of layoffs or pay cuts.

The Palladium-Item announced today that it will be moving its printing operations to Indianapolis, eliminating 60 positions from its local staff.  According to the article, the decision comes after an evaluation of the capital investment that would be required to maintain the local press equipment, and other factors resulting from the "difficult economic environment."

The local press not only prints the Palladium-Item itself, but also serves as a printing center for USA Today, The Earlham Word, and several other publications.  While the article notes that delivery times for the Pal-Item are not expected to change, it doesn't discuss the future of these other publications.

The move comes as one in a series of changes scaling back the paper's operations, including staff cuts and an increased focus on online offerings that aren't tied to local offices.  While nothing is certain, those watching the newspaper industry in general and Gannett's practices in particular know that this trend could eventually spell the end of the Palladium-Item's publication altogether.

In this episode: how we can still host a Presidential Debate, the loss of another local business and what it really means to buy local, upcoming events, and a holiday rant. Plus, a call for your submissions to our year-end review of gaps in local media coverage. Enjoy!

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