The coronavirus crisis is deepening an already dire economic outlook for the nation’s newsrooms as companies launch furloughs, layoffs and pay cuts, union leaders are asserting.
“The news business is in deep trouble,” said Lowell Peterson, executive director of Writers Guild For America East. “The economic crisis has gutted ad revenues.”
Peterson explained that the 3,500 newsroom employees represented by the New York-based WGA East have been fully employed since the pandemic hit in March but warned that steep cuts are coming — “unless the economy turns around in the next three weeks,” he said.
“Because news is essential, newsrooms have not been impacted to the same degree as many other sectors,” Peterson said.
Peterson participated in a news conference Friday, headed by Liz Shuler, Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO. Other speakers included Jon Schleuss, president of the NewsGuild – Communications Workers of America; Nadia Taha, campaign lead of NewsGuild-cwa; and Caroline Houck,...
“The news business is in deep trouble,” said Lowell Peterson, executive director of Writers Guild For America East. “The economic crisis has gutted ad revenues.”
Peterson explained that the 3,500 newsroom employees represented by the New York-based WGA East have been fully employed since the pandemic hit in March but warned that steep cuts are coming — “unless the economy turns around in the next three weeks,” he said.
“Because news is essential, newsrooms have not been impacted to the same degree as many other sectors,” Peterson said.
Peterson participated in a news conference Friday, headed by Liz Shuler, Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO. Other speakers included Jon Schleuss, president of the NewsGuild – Communications Workers of America; Nadia Taha, campaign lead of NewsGuild-cwa; and Caroline Houck,...
- 5/15/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
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