Tuesday, December 23, 2008

16 Connecticut Papers Close, 21 Journalists Laid Off

QUECHEE, Vermont -- The Journal Register Company, which operates the New Haven Register as well as several other papers across the northeast and midwest, announced last week that it would be closing 16 of its weekly community papers in Connecticut.

The company will be closing eight papers along the Connecticut shoreline and eight in its Elm City division, including my hometown Hamden Chronicle. In total, 21 journalists lost their jobs as a result of the closures.

Said one laid-off employee: "It's like, 'Merry Fucking Christmas,' you know?" the New Haven Independent reported. Editor Paul Bass had these comments for his weekly video blog:



We at the Walter Duranty Report would like to extend our sincerest condolences to these reporters and their families who, like many Americans, are facing these difficult changes at the worst possible time of the year. We wish you all happy holidays, and we hope that you can all find a way to return to doing the important work of your profession.

3 comments:

  1. TypePad offers a consolation prize: http://www.typepad.com/blogging/bailout.html

    ReplyDelete
  2. Officially non-profit journalism: http://journalism.nyu.edu/pubzone/weblogs/pressthink/2006/07/25/nadn_qa.html

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think the New Britain and Bristol newspapers are being bought up and will keep going. They are quite popular around where I live - all my neighbors have newspaper boxes for the Bristol press.

    ReplyDelete