Today Gannett, owner of the News Journal, announced it is splitting its newspaper division business off into its own company. The more profitable broadcasting and digital businesses will be placed in another company. Other major media chains have done the same thing: Time Warner Inc., Tribune Media Co. and News Corp, publisher of The Wall Street Journal.
The spinoffs could make it easier for individual newspapers to be sold.
PNJ Executive Editor Lisa Nellessen-Lara announced on the paper’s website how the daily newspaper will be restructured.
Two reporters will be added to the newsroom –it’s uncertain if they are merely replacements for those who recently retired (Carlton Proctor) or who have left the paper in the past year. Two copy editor positions are being eliminated (I can you hear you saying, “I hope Outzen hires at least one of them for this blog”).
The graphics department is also being eliminated – at least for the newspaper. The design of the paper will now be completely done at Gannett’s newspaper operations in Nashville.
“We take this step to free up resources to expand our journalism even further into the community as we aim to provide even more local content, deeper content, more investigative reporting and master storytelling,” said Nellessen-Lara. “We are investing in the news and information that makes Pensacola a better place to live, that helps our readers live better lives and to have a better community.”