Pulitzer winning publication makes room for cuts and innovations
The 175-year-old New Orleans Times-Picayune daily is now reducing its print publication to three days a week this fall. Amidst the struggles caused by Hurricane Katrina, The Times-Picayune established a wider following with its tenacity to spread the word.
Along with The Times-Picayune, The Birmingham News, The Huntsville Times and the Press Register of Mobile are all facing publication reduction. And now, not only is The Times-Picayune cutting its publication period, but the publication is also cutting its staff.
A memo, released by The New York Times, was written to the staff of The Times-Picayune faction that the press would reach the staff first. “We will move as quickly as possible in the coming weeks to make that determination and to inform each of you personally,” Ashton Phelps Jr., publisher of The Times-Picayune wrote Thursday morning.
The Times-Picayune is making these cuts in an effort to make room for a new company and affiliates, as outlined in the memo. One of the affiliates is the NOLA Media Group, which will pose as a more efficient way to report the news and will formulate new ways to spread information digitally.
The new company The Times-Picayune will form is called Advance Central Services Louisiana, which will help to produce a more vigorous publication once the reduction is made.
The Times-Picayune’s staff alterations will include a new publisher. Ashton Phelps Jr. retired in March and is set to be replaced by Ricky Mathews.
The Times-Picayune made its impact during Hurricane Katrina when the staff stayed in the office and the publication continued to release posts to its website. This was despite the loss of impact the press experienced. Because of its Katrina impact, The Times-Picayune has managed to avoid possible substantial spending cuts. The Times-Picayune’s staff won the Pulitzer for its breaking news proficiency.
A publication of The Times-Picayune will be released every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
