For the US news industry, a tough summer draws to a close with McClatchy chain’s cuts
PUBLISHED Sep 12, 2026, 3:24 PM ET
The McClatchy newspaper chain has laid off more than 90 unionized journalists and media workers across 17 publications, representing about 30 percent of its workforce represented by The NewsGuild-CWA. The reductions affected major regional outlets including The Miami Herald, The Sacramento Bee, The Kansas City Star, The Charlotte Observer, and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. In Miami, 32 positions were cut or frozen, which included the complete writing staff of the Spanish-language publication El Nuevo Herald. Union representatives and advocacy groups warned that the widespread contraction further weakens accountability reporting and local watchdog journalism across crucial U.S. media markets. This latest downsizing compounds a two-decade industry-wide decline driven by digital ad migration, social media audience fragmentation, and reductions in print circulation. McClatchy management did not respond to requests for comment regarding the restructuring decisions.
By Ayesha A. | JQJO News
- Articles Published:
- 46
- Right Leaning:
- 1
- Left Leaning:
- 3
- Neutral:
- 42
- Distribution:
- Left 7%, Center 91%, Right 2%
Left: Corporate greed and private equity ownership undermine vital local journalism. Center: Declining advertising revenues force restructuring and layoffs across local newspapers. Right: Market forces necessitate operational streamlining as print media consumption declines.
Union announces ninety layoffs across seventeen McClatchy newspapers on Friday. https://apnews.com/article/mcclatchy-newspapers-layoffs-miami-herald-news-industry-cb62846f497a70a8d462dfd2b591b7d5
Coverage of Story:
From Left
McClatchy laid off 30% of its unionized workers
The NewsGuild The New York Times The Washington PostFrom Center
For the US news industry a tough summer draws to a close with McClatchy chains cuts
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