More Layoffs At The Times?
Less than one month ago, Times Editor Bill Keller told staff the newspaper had completed the buyout and termination of about 100 reporters and editors and that "so far nothing... suggests we will be going through this again anytime soon." But the Post today named three writers exiting the Times, and implied the departures were involuntary. Medical-devices reporter Barnaby Feder was, according to an anonymous Post source, given four days to pack up his stuff; baseball writer Murray Chass is not returning from sick leave and arts writer Lawrence Van Gelder is retiring after 41 years. The tabloid's Page Six said a "bloody ax continues to swing" at the Times, but Feder is the only of the three clearly alleged to have been forced out, and it's possible he was cut prior to Keller's May memo and somehow had his exit delayed, or that he was ejected more recently for non-economic reasons. One termination, and two possibly voluntary departures for illness and retirement do not make for layoffs, Page Six. Weak sauce. Anyone have a better handle on what's going on at the Times? [Post]