PUBLISHING

* Knight Ridder Inc.’s San Jose Mercury News said it will fire an undetermined number of workers because the slowdown in the Silicon Valley economy is cutting into its revenue from classified advertising. Publisher Jay Harris said the newspaper, which employs about 1,700 people, is reviewing all departments to see where cuts could be made through restructuring, and then the number of layoffs and departments will be determined. The company also is considering an early retirement program, he said.