The Washington Times laid off several top editors Wednesday, along with its entire sports section and several other journalists as the newspaper continued a radical downsizing in the face of economic difficulties.
The exact number of layoffs was not announced. Staff members were handed an envelope after a mandatory afternoon meeting Wednesday that informed them whether they were to be retained.
Among those leaving the paper was Jeffrey Birnbaum, the newspaper’s digital managing editor and a key player in its operation since the November resignation of former executive editor John Solomon. He will continue to write a column and “to consult for the paper about news,” according to a memo.
Others who resigned or were laid off Wednesday included David Jones, managing editor for print, and Barbara Slavin, assistant managing editor for world and national security.
The newspaper did not announce the closing of its sports section, but some sports staff members confirmed its fate. The Times’ Redskins beat writer, Ryan O’Halloran, wrote on Twitter, “Times sports section is kaput.” He added, “Make sure to call and cancel subscriptions after Friday.”
Layoffs have been expected at the Times for several weeks now, after president and publisher Jonathan Slevin announced a company-wide restructuring with the potential to slash up to 40 percent of the newsroom staff. The Sunday edition of the paper was killed last week.
But Slevin has been close-mouthed on many of the changes, refusing to address questions on whether the sports and metro sections will be omitted from the redesigned and refocused print edition set to launch Monday.
The new edition is slated to run Mondays through Fridays and include “national news, sports, features and in-depth local reporting,” Slevin has said. Slevin has produced no further details on what to expect in Monday’s new edition, and his office did not return phone calls Wednesday evening.
