Colleagues:
Rumor has it this will be a difficult week at the Tribune, with staff cuts that could reach 20 percent. The rumor has been circulating for several days inside the Tower, and editor Gerould Kern seems to have addressed it in this recent staff memo. What Kern meant by “inaccurate information” isn’t clear, but his description of the new Tribune he’s fashioning is. Aside from its digital dimension, it reminds me a lot of the old Sun-Times. Chicago will be lucky if it turns out to be as good — but it should mourn the loss of the old Tribune, a paper with a global perspective serving a global city.
From: Kern, Gerould W. Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2009 12:01 PMSubject: Update/Organizing for the future
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Two weeks ago, I told you that the newsroom management team is working on a plan to reshape editorial priorities and organization to meet our strategic goals. We are taking a fresh look at what is required to fulfill this mission and structure the newsroom accordingly.
I have included here the message I sent you on March 30 that explains our approach in greater detail. We ask for your patience as we work through these issues.
In a series of town hall meetings a few weeks ago, Tony Hunter and our leadership team outlined a new strategic vision for the Chicago Tribune.
We will be more sharply focused on reflecting what people in the Chicago region care about and what they want and need to know in order to live their lives here. Chicago-area news, sports, entertainment and economics are at the core and so is investigative reporting.
