The Denver Newspaper Agency will lay off up to 5 percent of its workforce in a move to cut costs, it said Friday.
The agency, which handles business operations for The Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News, last week sent letters to workers and unions notifying them of the cuts.
The layoffs include positions in finance, human resources, advertising, information technology, operations and circulation.
The DNA employs 1,877 full- and part-time workers. Five percent of that number would equal 94.
But the actual number of layoffs will be less than that, said Jim Nolan, DNA spokesman.
He said about 90 percent of the layoffs will take effect by Nov. 13.
“It was already a lean company, so we were surprised,” said Tony Mulligan, administrative officer of the Denver Newspaper Guild, the union that represents more than 30 of the laid-off workers. “Employees have a lot of questions and concerns.”
The announcement comes amid an uncertain future for newspapers, which have seen readers and advertisers migrate to the Internet with websites such as Craigslist siphoning off classified listings.
“What we are experiencing is no different than what papers are experiencing around the country,” Nolan said. “We continue to have a strong company in a strong market.”
The DNA was formed in 2001 as part of the joint operating agreement between The Post and the News, whose newsrooms remain separate and competitive.
The Post is owned by Denver-based ap, the nation’s fourth largest newspaper publisher. The News is owned by Cincinnati-based E.W. Scripps Co.
Staff writer Will Shanley can be reached at 303-954-1260 or wshanley@denverpost.com.
