NEW YORK The Orlando Sentinel is quietly cutting newsroom staffers this week, according to several sources at the paper. They maintain that plans are in the works for up to one-fifth of the newsroom's jobs to be eliminated by the end of the month.

As many as 20 of the paper's approximately 250-person news staff were informed Wednesday that they would leave the paper, including several who chose to depart with a severance package. Other cuts are expected to be done before the end of July.

"There are going to be 50 people who lose their jobs, 45 to 50, that is 20% of the newsroom," said one veteran editor who is among those who chose to leave. "Half were told yesterday, and another half will be next week."

Editor Charlotte Hall declined to comment on the situation, referring inquiries to Lisa Jacobsen, a human resources and communications consultant, who told E&P no cutbacks are planned "at this time."

Some sources speculated that the low-key approach is being taken in order not to hurt the recent redesign launch that has drawn both positive and negative attention. The Sentinel is also one of several Tribune Co. papers going through cutbacks, which have also included the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times.

To continue reading about cutbacks at the Orlando Sentinel, click here.

more articles on this topic