Report: News-Leader lays off 7% of work force

Nineteen positions at the News-Leader Media Group are being cut as part of its parent company's decision to reduce its work force by 10 percent nationwide, the News-Leader reports.

McLean, Va.-based Gannett Co. Inc., the country's largest newspaper company, owns News-Leader Media Group - which publishes Springfield News-Leader and Ozarks Signature magazine - and more than 900 other U.S. publications, including USA Today.

The local eliminations represent 7 percent of the News-Leader's work force and include employees who volunteered to take severance packages as well as those being laid off, according to the paper. All are receiving severance packages proportionate to their years of service, up to 26 weeks.

"Like most businesses in our community, we are adjusting our work force to match the current business conditions," News-Leader Media Group President and Publisher Thomas Bookstaver said in the report. "It's difficult to reduce your work force and eliminate the jobs for people who have made valuable contributions to this company, but we must."

The company cited declining advertising revenues and the economic downturn as reasons for the cuts.

Gannett announced the 10 percent work force reduction in October, and those layoffs began nationwide on Tuesday. The cuts follow a 3 percent reduction announced in August.