Asian Americans Hit Hard in Latest SJMN Layoffs

March 8, 2008 --The AAJA National Board, meeting in San Francisco this weekend, has expressed extreme disappointment at the latest newsroom job cuts at the San Jose Mercury News which included long-time member, former national officer and former executive director L.A. Chung .

In newsroom cuts announced Friday, March 7, 2008, ten journalists of color -- half of whom are Asian American -- were affected. Another Asian American newsroom staffer took a voluntary departure.

AAJA National President Jeanne Mariani-Belding, who was meeting with MediaNews Group Vice President and SJMN Editor David Butler just before the cuts were formally announced, said today:

"It’s unfortunate to see so many good journalists leaving the industry. Of the 15 newsroom employees affected, 10 were journalists of color. The Mercury News was once an industry leader in diversity and understood that diversity is a core component of fairness and accuracy in coverage. This was once a newspaper that was praised throughout our industry for its commitment to diversity -- this paper serves one of the most diverse communities in the country. The paper must do a better job of reflecting the community it serves. Readers and the industry deserve no less.”

Karen Lincoln-Michel, president of UNITY: Journalists of Color, Inc., said: "I am deeply affected by this unsettling news. Our pleas to the industry to keep diversity in the forefront when deciding cutbacks are going unheeded. The newsroom goal of reaching parity by 2025 can't be reached without a radical change in our approach, which is required now because of the unprecedented times we're facing."

More on the job cuts in Richard Prince's Journal-isms.

BUYOUTS AT OAKLAND TRIBUNE, CONTRA COSTA TIMES, OTHERS

In a related development, the Oakland Tribune, Contra Costa Times and other daily and weekly newspapers associated with the Bay Are News Group - East Bay announced earlier this week that they will cut staff by 10%. However, the layoffs appear to have been averted because enough staff took the buyout offers. A number of journalists of color are reportedly among those that took the buyout offers.

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