George Arwady

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."

Teamsters Local 1100, which represents 400 Star-Ledger mailers, voted 183-18 to ratify a new labor contract that agrees to a three-year freeze on wages and a buyout of almost 100 members.  George Arwady, the publisher of the state's alrgest newspaper, has said that the Star-Ledger would be sold or close if two unions didn't ratify new agreements, and if 200 additional employees didn't agree to a buyout. 

Teamsters Local 1100, which represents about 400 Star-Ledger employees, will vote on a new contract next Monday that "includes a three-year wage freeze and the buyout of 100 of its members," according to a report by Editor and Publisher's Joe Strupp.  These buyouts are not part of the 200 the newspaper is seeking by October 1.  Earlier this week, Star-Ledger publisher George Arwady said if the Teamsters and Newspaper and Mail Deliverers Union fail to agree to new contracts, and if they can't secure 200 non-union buyouts, the state's largest newspaper could be closed or sold by January 2009.

So, I’m sipping a cup of Wawa hazelnut coffee yesterday scrolling PolitickerNJ on my laptop when I see this ominous headline: Publisher says Star Ledger could be sold or closed by January.

My first thought was Yikes! I can’t imagine Jersey without the Ledger.  What will Christie do to keep his name recognition numbers up?

My second thought after seeing the Star Ledger’s own story in its business section today was it’s admirable the Ledger assign a veteran reporter to write a real news story about its own business troubles.