LOS ANGELES, July 12, 2024 – The National Association of Hispanic Journalists is prepared to provide support to any members impacted by the most recent rounds of layoffs in news media, many of them in Los Angeles, where NAHJ is holding its 40th Anniversary Conference and Expo this week, the NAHJ board of directors said.
This week, CNN said it would cut around 100 jobs as part of a reorganization. LAist, a nonprofit newsroom that also houses Los Angeles radio station KPCC-FM, has cut 21 staff through layoffs and buyouts. In Puerto Rico, GFR Media reportedly cut 12 union jobs, 10 of them journalists or photojournalists, as well as some non-union jobs. GFR publishes newspapers El Nuevo DĂa and Primera Hora.Â
For its part, Entertainment Tonight laid off 17 online editorial staffers as it refocused on video, while the Bustle Media Group laid off nine staffers in a consolidation of its parenting and lifestyle portfolios.
NAHJ can offer free membership and discounted conference attendance to members who have been laid off, said NAHJ President Yvette Cabrera. Many news organizations have recruitment booths at NAHJ2024, and they have been active all week.
2024 has been a brutal year for news industry layoffs. At places such as the Los Angeles Times, which had layoffs earlier this year, journalists of color were disproportionately impacted because they were among the most recently hired.
“Newsrooms need diverse staff now more than ever, as the country becomes more and more diverse,” Cabrera said. “NAHJ provides training so our members can be the best qualified for any position. And if a member suffers a layoff, we’ll give them support so they can get back to making their valuable contributions to journalism.”