Two more Vermont news outlets are facing budget cuts as the coronavirus outbreak continues to decimate the local journalism industry.
VTDigger.org — a statewide nonprofit news organization — laid off three employees on Monday, according to founder and editor Anne Galloway. Meanwhile, Gannett, the Virginia-based owner of the Burlington Free Press, announced that most reporters and editors at the chain’s newspapers would be furloughed for one week per month through June.
The layoffs at VTDigger are the first in its 10-year history. They include one part-time newsroom employee, as well as one full-time and one part-time member of the organization’s business staff. VTDigger has also frozen three new business positions that have yet to be filled. Prior to the layoffs, the nonprofit had 29 employees.
“Like all businesses in Vermont, we were caught by surprise — and the very necessary social distancing and stay-home initiatives that the government has taken have had an immediate impact on our business,” Galloway told Seven Days. “It’s painful, but we have to recognize reality, and we think that we can move through this stronger than we were before.”
Underwriting, or advertising, accounts for 35 to 40 percent of VTDigger’s revenue, according to Galloway. It has taken a hit as other businesses have suffered. Galloway said she’s also keeping an eye on major donors, whose fortunes have dwindled as the stock market has tanked.
In a note to readers, Galloway wrote that the board of VTDigger’s parent organization, the Vermont Journalism Trust, had called for a 21 percent budget reduction. She told Seven Days that she believes Monday’s layoffs would suffice through the summer, though she added, “There are still too many unknowns.”
The cuts come as VTDigger reporters have scrambled to cover the outbreak. The news outlet, which provides stories to many newspapers around the state, has launched a newsletter and a rolling blog focused on the coronavirus, and it has carried many press conferences and news events live on its website. According to Galloway, it has quadrupled its readership in recent weeks.
“I’m really proud of our team,” Galloway said.
Gannett, which publishes more than 250 newspapers, including USA Today, announced its own cuts in a pair of memos on Monday.
USA Today Network president Maribel Perez Wadsworth wrote that employees who make more than $38,000 a year would be forced to take one unpaid week of leave in each of the next three months. Gannet’s chief executive officer, Paul Bascobert, wrote that he would not take a salary while his staffers were furloughed and that other executives would take a 25 percent pay cut.
“Overall … we expect our revenue to decline considerably during this period and we need to address this situation head on,” Bascobert wrote.
It was not immediately clear how and when the furloughs would affect the Burlington Free Press, which has faced round after round of layoffs in recent years. The newspaper’s editor, Emilie Stigliani, did not respond to requests for comment on Monday.
Over the past two weeks, organizations throughout Vermont, including Seven Days, have laid off or furloughed workers, reduced the frequency of their print editions, and made other cuts. Three newspapers — the Milton Independent, Colchester Sun and Essex Reporter — have suspended their print editions altogether. Last week, the Waterbury Record shut down.
Related Stories
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!
I would have been happy to support VT Digger financially, but after their hit job on Abel Toll at the behest of VT Legal Aid / Grace Pazdan, the world will be a better place without that kind of hitjob “journalism.” They sold their soul – – and the debt has come due.
VT Digger does some decent reporting. But it’s public comment sections have turned into a posting site for the swarming MAGA Hat wingnuts . But if you post a comment critical of the Neo-liberal Order or its servants they will not approve it. They are about as “liberal” as MSNBC, which isn’t, it is corporate.
VT Digger does some decent reporting, but it’s public comment section has become a bastion of liberal nonsense. We have enough of that from the main stream media.
If you post a comment critical of Bernie or calling out another commenter spewing garbage, they will censor it and delete it. It’s sad how they try to steer a discussion.
Fortunately they aren’t as liberal as #FakeNewsCNN or MSDNC or the unhinged liberal wingnuts who post there and elsewhere.
From GreenMtnboy2: “VT Digger does some decent reporting, but it’s public comment section has become…..”
From NorthOldEnder: “VT Digger does some decent reporting. But it’s public comment sections have turned into ….”
GreenMtnboy2: “If you post a comment critical of…….they will censor it and delete it.”
NorthOldender: “…if you post a comment critical of….. they will not approve it.”
GreenMtnboy2: “….they aren’t as liberal as #FakeNewsCNN or MSDNC…..”
NorthOldender: “…They are about as “liberal” as MSNBC…..”
Gee, can’t you guys even change whoever’s writing your responses for you so they aren’t so obviously from the same person? 🙂
VTDIGGER reporting is second to none, they produce a high quality product, and I think provide a valuable service to our state.
HOWEVER, as someone who use to post comments on news stories, I DONOT appreciate the practice of deleting comments and preventing Vermonters from debating one another. To me, thats what made VTDIGGER great. Engaging with other Vermonters with different points of view.
But that is now disallowed, and is the reason why I WILL NOT donate.. UNLESS they change that policy.
Are you listening VTDIGGER?
Gee, can’t you guys even change whoever’s writing your responses for you so they aren’t so obviously from the same person? 🙂
At least he/she remembered to log out and log back in.
I really don’t understand why the Free Press is kept on financial life support. I have a few friends that buy it in a fantasy effort to support local reporting. Ever since Gannet took over, it’s been close to worthless in terms of local and statewide coverage. We are fortunate to have Seven Days and especially Digger to fill the gap. I intend to up my small monthly contribution to Digger, having read this story.
I’m glad that VTDigger does not spend money on trying to run a debating society. It’s not.