Are Union-Tribune layoffs a payoff to public-employee union investors?
The San Diego Union-Tribune, which like most newspapers is struggling to survive and retool in a hostile economic climate, announced 112 newsroom layoffs on Wednesday. Ho-hum, things are tough all over, right? Well, yes, if you say so. But what’s notable about the story are some of the names appearing on the axe-list, including Editorial Page Editor Bob Kittle and Opinion Editor Bernie Jones. Now, I know next to nothing about the internal dynamics at the Union-Tribune, other than what I’ve read. The private equity firm that owns the paper has been cutting relentlessly since it purchased the Union-Tribune in May. I can say that I’ve worked with Jones a couple of times when I’ve had an op-ed appear in the U-T. Good guy. He has the distinction of being the only editor in my career to ever ask me to lengthen an op-ed piece. I don’t know Kittle at all, except by reputation. Not surprisingly, Kittle’s departure is being greeted with plenty of glee in some quarters. That’s fine. But I do “que
