The Californian reduces work force by 10 percent (1 reason, ads from car dealers down)

The Californian reduces work force by 10 percent
Bakersfield, CA

The Californian and one of its subsidiaries on Wednesday laid off 25 employees, or about 10 percent of its work force, in the face of sharply declining advertising sales. Seven of the jobs lost were newsroom positions.

The move follows the elimination of 40 positions at the company in June 2007. Only 10 of those resulted in actual layoffs.

President and CEO Richard Beene said the cuts were forced not by a declining newspaper industry but by the troubled economy, which he said has slowed more than most had predicted. Ads from car dealerships and department stores are way down, he said.

Publisher Ginger Moorhouse said, “We want this company to survive and succeed, so we have to make the tough choices.”

http://www.bakersfield.com/hourly_news/story/628165.html