Unexpected layoffs hit Sacramento Bee newsroom

A small but surprising round of layoffs hit The Sacramento Bee again last week. Sources say nine jobs were cut, including two newsroom positions—a photo technician and a librarian.

The Bee’s community-affairs director, Pam Dinsmore, couldn’t confirm a total number of layoffs, but said, “Most of these changes are due to restructuring within divisions, aligning them with changing business trends. Some are due to system and equipment upgrades that have led to additional efficiencies with various departments.”

Technology, so helpful.

Sources told Beats that the layoffs were a surprise. And Ed Fletcher, a Bee reporter and rep for the Newspaper Guild local, said the layoffs are anything but minor for the people affected.

“While few in numbers, this is still very disappointing. Most of us had hoped the dark days were behind us,” he said.

Beats is also told that the librarian was one of the folks tasked with policing the Bee’s online comments to make sure things don’t get, you know, awful, on the comment boards.

Dinsmore downplayed the notion that the Bee comment boards might get worse with the layoffs. “With millions of page views each month, we largely rely on readers to self-monitor comments. They should not notice a difference.”