Less than two months after Darius Anderson and Sonoma Media Investments sold The Press Democrat and its sister publications to Media News Group/hedge fund Alden Global Capital, our new owners have already started layoffs.
We are losing two Pulitzer Prize-winning photographers and an award-winning business reporter – all exceptional journalists who bring passion, talent and expertise to their work covering our community every day.
One of those photographers is also our Guild unit leader, who has fought tirelessly for years to protect our newsroom and the very rights and protections we now fear are under threat.
We have not been told why these cuts are necessary.
We love this community and are passionate about covering it thoroughly, but doing so becomes harder when our newsroom loses the dedicated professionals who have expertly covered our community for years.
We need the support of our community now more than ever. If you appreciate our work, don’t cancel your subscriptions, but consider sharing our message and calling for our newsroom to be preserved.
What can you do to help
Please share our message on social media and in the community. Follow our social media accounts for additional suggestions on how to support us.
We know that local journalism is at its best when a newsroom has the staffing needed to cover the important issues facing a community. We hope to maintain that ability.
Why cancelling your subscription causes more harm than good.
Our ownership may have changed, but the heart of our newsroom has not. Our reporters and photographers remain local, and we are committed to serving our community (while also calling it home). To do that, we need loyal, thoughtful and engaged subscribers and readers.
We ask that you please not cancel your subscription.
Media News Group is driven by profit, and when subscriptions are down the company’s pattern is to cut and restructure papers instead of investing in more journalists and better resources to improve coverage. Ultimately, when you cancel your subscription, the harm is done to the local journalists living in and covering your community – and those of you who rely on our reporting.
If you value local journalism, the best way you can support us is by staying engaged, continuing to read and sharing our message.
Three people were laid off. While that may not seem like a big number, it’s a big deal.
We are a small, dedicated team of reporters, photographers, copy editors and digital producers. Each of us plays a key role in keeping our communities informed about government meetings, local sports, schools, events, breaking news and elections.
The two photographers recently laid off — our only staff photojournalists of color – covered everything from the wildfires and breaking news to community events and in-depth features. Their journalism captured critical moments in our culture, politics and history. Their cameras can’t be replaced with smartphones.
One of those photographers is also our Guild unit leader. He has fought tirelessly to protect our entire newsroom, and many of the very rights and protections we now fear are under threat.
Our business reporter covered a wide range of local industries, including technology, law and banking. Her dedicated and thorough reporting offered a depth that only comes from decades in the industry and years in Sonoma County.
Several open positions will also go unfilled.
Management has not informed us of their plan for making up for the loss of our colleagues’ expertise. We know it will be harder for the newsroom with them gone, and that loss will be multiplied if we are reduced even further.
