Massive Layoffs in Store at Gannett-Owned North Jersey Media Group

Corporate media giant Gannett announced today that it will restructure the North Jersey Media Group, cutting jobs across the company and consolidating newsrooms.

Gannett purchased the North Jersey Media group, publisher of  The Record of Bergen County, NorthJersey.com and dozens of community weekly newspapers, from the Borg family earlier this year. The Borg family bought The Record in 1930 and later formed the North Jersey Media Group. Under the family’s ownership, The Record was arguably the top investigative newspaper in the state.

By the end of this week, 426 employees will receive layoff notices. About half of those employees will be rehired for new news and advertising roles, according to the company. The employees who are not chosen for the new group will work until mid-November.

Corporate leaders claim the restructuring will enable the publications to be more competitive in the metro New York market, expand the company’s digital presence, and better serve readers, advertisers and communities across North Jersey.

“For decades, North Jersey Media Group has delivered award-winning journalism in Bergen and Passaic Counties and throughout the state,” said Tom Donovan, Northeast regional president of Gannett East Group, in a prepared statement. “Since Gannett’s July acquisition, we have recognized that NJMG must transform even faster to meet the ever-changing demands of readers, advertisers and the communities we serve. In response, we are reinventing our newsroom, sales team and other business divisions. We are making a long-term investment in our staff, tools and technology.”

Gannett, the owner of USA Today, is the largest news publisher in the country. The company owns the Asbury Park Press and five other dailies in the region. The purchase of The Record also made Gannett the largest newspaper company in New Jersey.