News-Press Silences Goleta Valley Voice, Lays Off 17

http://www.noozhawk.com/noozhawk/article/120308_santa_barbara_news_press_lays_off_17_employees/

By Sonia Fernandez, Noozhawk Staff Writer

28,000-circulation newspaper announces an operational "reorganization."

Citing the stress of the economy, the Santa Barbara News-Press announced a “reorganization” of its operations Wednesday, resulting in the layoffs of 17 employees and the death of the Goleta Valley Voice.

According to a statement released by the newspaper, the Goleta Valley Voice and Valley Living, in the Santa Ynez Valley, have been “incorporated and expanded” into the pages of the daily paper. The weekly publications’ news staffs were among those let go. Previously owned by Jim Farr, the Valley Voice was purchased in 2005 by the News-Press’ parent company, Ampersand Publishing, which is owned by philanthropist Wendy McCaw.

Valley Voice managing editor Jim Logan said the experience with human resources was abrupt.

“They called me in first and basically said, ‘The Voice is done, we’re folding it into the News-Press, here’s your check, sign this, buh-bye,’” he said.

Editor Martha Lannan and writer/photographer Lara Cooper were next to get the ax. This week’s edition of the Valley Voice had not been completed.

The layoffs come at a sketchy time for the 17 former employees, during the holiday season and amid a struggling economy.

“This is the first time I have been unemployed since the 1980s,” said Logan, a Dos Pueblos High graduate and a longtime News-Press copy editor who is confident he’ll be working again soon.

According to the news release, the 28,000-circulation News-Press will be expanding coverage in the Goleta and Santa Ynez valleys, Montecito and Carpinteria.

“Santa Barbara, Goleta and the Santa Ynez Valley remain our core news product,” said Don Katich, Ampersand’s director of news operations. “This reorganization will provide us the structure and resources necessary to provide the quantity and quality of relevant and topical news that is not currently served by our weekly products or by other media.”

Write to sfernandez@noozhawk.com

http://www.noozhawk.com/noozhawk/article/120308_santa_barbara_news_press_lays_off_17_employees/