Newspaper Cuts Staff 15%

The Escondido-based Times Advocate newspaper said Wednesday that the continuing recession has forced it to impose layoffs, reduce hours and cut jobs through attrition to achieve an overall 15% reduction in work-force hours.

“Like other newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times, we’re not immune from the impact of a deep and broad recession,” said John Armstrong, publisher of the 41,200-circulation daily newspaper. Sunday circulation is 43,400.

Workers in all departments of the newspaper were affected, but Armstrong declined to say how many employees actually lost their jobs.

“We regret losing these valued employees,” Armstrong said. Before the cutbacks, the paper had about 255 part-time and full-time employees.

The Times Advocate had recently converted from afternoon to morning delivery and, along with other newspapers, has suffered dwindling advertising revenue because of the poor economy.

Two satellite newspapers owned by Times Advocate Co., which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Tribune Co. of Chicago, have endured modest cutbacks.

They are the Enterprise, an 8,000 circulation weekly serving Fallbrook and Bonsall, and the nearly 12,000-circulation Californian, which covers southwest Riverside County and is published six days a week.

The Enterprise and Californian “were minimally affected,” Armstrong said.

Richard Petersen, editor of the Times Advocate, declined to comment on the cutbacks, referring inquiries to Armstrong.