Tampa Tribune to lay off 70

A Staff Report
The Tampa Tribune

The Tampa Tribune said today that it plans to lay off 70 employees as part of a cost reduction plan.

“Our decision to part with valued employees was difficult, and we very much appreciate the contributions of all those who will be affected by today’s announcement,” said Denise Palmer, president and publisher of The Tampa Tribune.

The paper currently has approximately 1,335 employees.

As part of its cost reduction strategy, Palmer said the paper planned to consolidate certain operations and outsource others.

Employees affected by the cost reduction plan will be informed over the next few days. Full-time employees will be offered severance packages, Palmer said.

The paper also plans several changes to the daily newspaper, including combining the Friday Baylife section into the Friday Extra section.

“The combined section will provide readers all the information they need to plan their weekend,” Palmer said.

On Sunday, the company plans to realign certain sections of the newspaper to improve ease of use and reduce costs, the publisher added.