Tribune / To cut 700 jobs across the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times and six other daily newspapers

Tribune Co. announced a restructuring of its publishing business Wednesday to focus on its digital efforts and streamline operations, resulting in nearly 700 job losses across the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times and six other daily newspapers.

The plan, which was outlined for Tribune Co. employees in a memo, seeks to integrate business units such as advertising, marketing, manufacturing and digital media under common leadership. It is aimed at offsetting annual publishing revenue declines of $75 million to $100 million without diminishing editorial content, according to executives.

But publishing staff positions accounting for about 6 percent of Tribune Co.\’s workforce were being eliminated beginning Wednesday, and the effect of those cuts remains to be seen. Most of the layoffs will be in technology, marketing and other noneditorial functions.

“Unfortunately, organizing around functional lines rather than maintain what we\’re doing locally, there is going to be some staff reductions,” said Peter Liguori, president and CEO of Tribune Co., the Chicago-based media company. “We are not going to be reducing any of our frontline reporters. Over time there will be some small reductions on the editorial side, but we want to maintain our best-in-class local journalism.”

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via Tribune Co. reorganizing publishing unit – chicagotribune.com.