The Rocky Mountain News on Tuesday offered voluntary buyouts to several dozen of its workers, a move aimed at trimming its workforce by about 20 people.
The buyout packages will be offered to all 50 Rocky employees with at least 10 years of service with the company and who will be 55 years of age or older as of April 2, according to a memo from Rocky editor John Temple posted on the website www.poynter.org.
Workers taking the buyout will receive “attractive benefits, including voluntary separation pay and a heath care subsidy,” the memo reads.
The Rocky and The Denver Post are run by the Denver Newspaper Agency, which oversees circulation, advertising and other business operations for both papers through a joint operating agreement. The newsrooms are separate and competitive.
“The Rocky has weathered challenging economic times both before the (joint operating agreement) and in the past few years, and has continued to publish an outstanding newspaper that serves its readers in award-winning ways,” the memo reads.
Officials for the Rocky’s parent, Cincinnati-based E.W. Scripps, referred calls to Temple, who could not be reached for comment.
Newspapers nationwide in recent years have sought to cut costs and staff, largely because of circulation and advertising declines caused by increased competition from the Internet and other news sources.
The Post, which is owned by Denver-based ap Inc., last year trimmed its staff by about a dozen workers, also through voluntary buyouts.
Staff writer Will Shanley can be reached at 303-954-1260 or wshanley@denverpost.com
