(MENAFN) Journalists at numerous local newspapers across the United States staged a walkout on Monday, demanding an end to severe cost-cutting measures and a change in leadership at Gannett, the largest newspaper chain in the country. The strike involved hundreds of journalists from newspapers in eight states, including prominent publications like the Arizona Republic, the Austin American-Statesman, the Bergen Record, the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, and the Palm Beach Post. The NewsGuild, which represents workers at over 50 Gannett newsrooms, confirmed the participation of its members in the strike. Gannett, however, stated that the strike would not disrupt its news coverage and specified that it would last for two days at two newspapers and one day at the rest.
Coinciding with the walkouts, Gannett held its annual shareholder meeting, during which the company's board was reelected despite the NewsGuild-CWA union urging shareholders to withhold their votes from CEO and board chairman Mike Reed as a demonstration of their lack of confidence in his leadership. Reed has been in charge of the company since its merger with GateHouse Media in 2019, a period marked by layoffs and the closure of newsrooms. Gannett's shares have plummeted more than 60% since the completion of the merger.
Susan DeCarava, the president of The NewsGuild of New York, criticized the shareholder meeting as "a slap in the face" to the striking Gannett journalists. The walkout by the journalists highlights their discontent with the cost-saving measures implemented by the company and their concerns about the future of local journalism under the current leadership. The strike draws attention to the challenges faced by the newspaper industry and the ongoing struggle to preserve the vital role of local journalism in communities across the United States.
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