For the Record

Local Media Outlets Launch Despite Pandemic:

Although "local newsrooms have been hit hard by the crisis over the past month," McClatchy is proceeding with plans to launch the Longmont Leader in Colorado, Sara Fischer of Axios reported Tuesday. The digital newsroom will employ the assets of the volunteer-run Longmont Observer and funding from the Compass Experiment, "a partnership between Google and McClatchy to launch three new, digital-only local news operations on multiple platforms." Local newsletter company 6AM City also is planning "a significant growth effort this year in markets across the southeast," including "a major outlet in Atlanta this year in partnership with a larger media company."

Vice Considers Massive Layoffs:

According to Benjamin Mullin and Keach Hagey of The Wall Street Journal, an internal document at Vice Media Group "calls for layoffs of over 300 people in digital operations, including major cuts at both Vice News and Refinery29" due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, a spokesperson said that "the planning document represented one of several scenarios being developed inside the company for potential consideration and hadn't been endorsed by management." If the plan were implemented, the savings for the company "would be about $40 million."

NPR Cuts Executive Pay:

NPR announced Monday that it will cut executive pay by 10 to 25% as part of its effort to make up a $30 million budget shortfall. “My personal view is, I don’t think we’re going to need to make huge permanent cuts that will undermine the mission," said Paul G. Haaga Jr., the chairman of NPR’s board. "We've got a lot of reserves, we’ve been prudent in our finances and our investment management. That’s going to benefit us in this difficult time." (NPR Senior Vice President of News/Editorial Director Nancy Barnes is a member of the Pulitzer Prize Board.)

Meredith Announces COVID-19 Measures:

In a Monday press release, Meredith President/CEO Tom Harty announced the media company's response to the COVID-19 pandemic's economic fallout, including four-month pay cuts of up to 40% and partial unpaid time off. "I continue to be confident in the strength and resilience of Meredith's diversified business model," Harty said. The company owns such magazines as Entertainment Weekly, People and Food & Wine.

Maven Recognizes Sports Illustrated Union:

The Sports Illustrated Union announced Monday that parent company Maven has recognized the bargaining unit after a period that culminated in layoffs stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. "This development ensures that Maven must negotiate all future changes to our working conditions with us," the group said in a statement. "After fighting for months to protect the future of this publication, we now have a seat at the table."

Cost Cuts Imminent, NPR CEO Warns:

National Public Radio CEO John Lansing said that the media organization is planning "significant cost cuts as the coronavirus pandemic hits sponsorship and donation revenue" in an internal memo last week, according to Benjamin Mullin of The Wall Street Journal. With a budget shortfall of $30 to $45 million likely, the network’s "discretionary spending is under review, including new hiring, travel, conferences, promotions, bonuses and raises." Lansing added: "We do not have any position eliminations on the table now, and it is our goal to avoid them as much as is reasonably possible. However, I don’t have a crystal ball so I can’t guarantee anything other than that is my intent."

IPI Urges Taiwanese Press Accreditation at WHO:

In a letter to World Health Organization Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, International Press Institute Executive Director Barbara Trionfi has called on the United Nations public health agency "to grant accreditation to Taiwanese journalists" due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We believe that by refusing accreditation to Taiwanese journalists and denying access to information to the people of Taiwan, the WHO is not just violating its founding principles but also undermining UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 on ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages," she said. The WHO has not granted accreditation to Taiwanese journalists since 2014.

L.A, Times to Close Suburban Newspapers:

Los Angeles Times parent company California Times announced Friday that it will close three suburban newspapers "that serve the cities of Burbank, Glendale and La Cañada Flintridge" due to the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. Fourteen staff members, including 10 members of the Los Angeles Times Guild, will be laid off with severence. "The idea that a city of 200,000 people [Glendale] could not support a daily newspaper would’ve seemed foreign to a publisher a few decades ago; that it apparently can’t support a weekly now is the unfortunate reality," said Joshua Benton of NiemanLab.

Amazon, Walmart Suspend Marketing Deals:

Amazon and Walmart "have temporarily suspended commerce marketing deals with digital media firms such as BuzzFeed" due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Jessica Toonkel of The Information. As commerce marketing (in which media sites receive a share of each purchase generated by sponsored posts) "has become an increasingly important part of revenue for online publishers such as Vox Media as well as BuzzFeed," the suspensions likely will precipitate a 20% decline in revenue for participating sites.

IAB Postpones NewFronts, Institutes Livestreams:

The Interactive Advertising Bureau announced Tuesday that it will postpone its NewFronts digital marketing series to the week of June 22 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participating organizations in the series, which is modeled after television upfront presentations, will be required to livestream their events. Although YouTube, Twitter, Verizon Media, Amazon, BBC News, Condé Nast, Meredith, The New York Times Co. and Vice Media Group are among the organizations slated to participate, YouTube was the only participant to shift to virtualization prior to the announcement of the requirement.