Gannett's latest layoffs have hit small dailies hardest; Plains regional editor says smaller owners may serve them better

Burlington, Iowa, the seat of 
Des Moines County (Wikipedia map)

Gannett Co., the nation's largest newspaper chain, announced widespread layoffs last week after losing money in the second quarter. The company mostly cut jobs at smaller newspapers to protect its 40 largest metro papers, Zachary Smith reports for Iowa Public Radio. For some, like The Hawk Eye in Burlington, the layoffs are difficult to absorb after years of attrition that have left them stretched thin already.

When Carol Hunter, executive editor of the Des Moines Register and regional editor for Gannett papers in the Plains region, broke the news about the layoffs last week and explained the company's strategy of preserving resources at the top 40 papers, a staffer asked her: "Sure that’s good for the Register, but what is the long-term plan for these other papers?" Hunter responded that the issue was "a real difficulty" and said she didn't think large news companies like Lee Enterprises and McClatchy have figured it out, Smith reports. Gannett has sold several smaller papers in the region, mainly to Cherry Road Media.

Hunter said Gannett is trying different measures to keep smaller papers open, such as reducing delivery days, but said she doesn't think a large company with expensive infrastructure needs serves smaller papers as well as local ownership, Smith reports. She also said Gannett's cost-reduction program won't immediately affect its non-dailies in Iowa, "But I think they’re in some ways – most of them – are in rougher shape than the dailies and are being heavily looked at for what their future should be."

As for right now, The Hawk Eye "got the worst of the Plains region: Three full-time reporters and one part-timer were laid off," Smith reports. "This left three in the newsroom: two for the news section and one for sports." One of the layoffs was Laigha Anderson, who found in 2019 that the county government had double-taxed the city government for its emergency communications service for over a decade, costing the city between $1.23 million and $1.52 million.