Postmedia laying off 11% of editorial staff in latest round of cuts

Postmedia headquarters in Toronto (JHVEPhoto/Shutterstock)

Postmedia is laying off another round of journalists from its outlets across the country, further gutting the already sparse newsroom.

The media company announced at an internal town hall Tuesday that it’s laying off 11% of editorial staff from properties across the country, according to CWA Canada union president Martin O’Hanlon, which represents some Postmedia journalists.

The media giant operates well-known outlets in major Canadian markets, including the National Post, Vancouver Sun, and Calgary Herald.

“It’s brutal. They’ve already cut, and cut, and cut, and cut. I mean, they’re already in the basement. And they’ve just dug a new basement,” O’Hanlon said.

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Some of the smaller papers have as little as four people on staff and O’Hanlon said those papers couldn’t deal with many more cuts. He expects the larger papers will be primarily impacted.

“It’s terrible for communities. It’s terrible for employees. It’s terrible for democracy. And it’s brutal for journalism,” O’Hanlon said.

He expects the company will first proceed with buyout offers before moving to layoffs. He expects many reporters will opt for buyouts since the thin staffing has meant poor working conditions — including lots of overtime and trouble taking vacation.

The layoffs come as Postmedia continues to experience financial difficulty. Although revenue increased slightly this quarter compared to the same time last year, the media company’s operating income decreased by $7.1 million compared to the year before.

For the three months ending on November 30, 2022, Postmedia posted a net loss of nearly $16 million — more than $10 million more than the previous year.

Postmedia has not yet replied to Daily Hive’s request for comment.