Thursday, December 11, 2008

Record-Courier closes Kent office


The Record-Courier newspaper in Portage County this week closed its Kent office as the company's leaders continue to evaluate other cost-saving opportunities, the Akron Beacon Journal reported today.

The daily newspaper, based in Ravenna, and its sister chain of Record Publishing weekly and twice-weekly newspapers have reduced their staff from 180 to 140 during the past year, mostly through buyouts and layoffs, Publisher David Dix said on Wednesday.

More staff reductions are likely in January ''because business is terrible,'' Dix said. ''We're under a lot of stress, like everybody else.''

Overall, the publications still are profitable, Dix said, ''but right now with the daily newspaper, it's nip and tuck.''

The Record-Courier is evaluating the possibility of eliminating one day of publication, Dix said. The paper has published seven days a week since 1994, when it added a Saturday edition.

Earlier this year, Record Publishing discontinued its weekly newspapers in the Cleveland suburbs of Bedford and Maple Heights.

There are no plans to cease publication of any other papers, Dix said.

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