George Arwady

The Star-Ledger is reporting that "the revenue situation at our newspaper has worsened this year, and we expect a further significant revenue decline next year."  In a memorandum to full-time employees, publisher George Arwady announced another "voluntary buyout offer" as the newspaper seeks to reduce their staff "by at least fifty people."

Click here to read Arwady's memo.

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The Star-Ledger said that they have accepted 151 newsroom buyout offers and will continue with 40% less staff by the end of the year. Seventeen buyout requests were turned down. Publisher George Arwady, who gets credit for saving the state's largest newspaper, said that the departues will be staggered. In an e-mail to employees, Editor Jim Willse said his new challenge is to "figure out a way to make a good newspaper with a 40% smaller staff."

More than one out of every two Star-Ledger employees has requested a buyout, according to a report in today's New York Post.  According to the report, 409 of the 756 people employed by the state's largest newspaper were willing to leave voluntarily.  Publisher George Arwady says he'll accept 230 buyout applicants.

The Newspaper and Mail Deliverers' Union voted overwhelmingly, 161 to 6, today to ratify a new labor agreement with The Star-Ledger -- a vote that is expected to help the state's largest daily newspaper avoid closure or sale.  Last July, publisher George Arwady said the Star-Ledger and the Trenton Times would be sold or closed unless 200 employees accepted buyouts and two unions agreed to new contracts.  All three of Arwady's demands have reportedly been met. 

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The future of the state's largest newspaper is in the hands of a small union representing about ninety delivery drivers, according to an internal memo from Star-Ledger publisher George Arwady.  Arwady notes that he expects their goal of 200 voluntary buyouts (including 100 news room personnel) to be met by the October 8 deadline, but says that if the Newspaper and Mail Deliverers Union fails to ratify their new contract, the "Star-Ledger will be put up for sale on October 9."