By: Daytin Inserra-Cunningham
OMAHA, Neb. — In a significant development, Lee Enterprises has made the decision to relocate the remaining staff of The Omaha World Herald to The Freedom Center. This decision comes as the newspaper grapples with years of layoffs, drastically reducing its workforce.
Sports Copy Editor for The Omaha World Herald, Andrew Stem, shed light on the extent of these layoffs: “There was at one point, I think when I started in October of 2017, about 200 employees or so at the World Herald. It’s just an approximate number, but there are now fewer than 50.”
The diminishing number of writers at The Omaha World Herald has had a profound impact on the newspaper’s ability to tell stories. The publication is not only reducing its workforce but is also making a concerted effort to prioritize digital news delivery over print, with the aim of cutting costs and bolstering revenue. Stem noted that this shift is affecting not only the newspaper but also communities, particularly older generations who have traditionally relied on print media for their daily news.
A photo of The Omaha World Herald staff showing those who have left or have been laid off. (Photo/Daytin Inserra-Cunningham)
“You know a lot of people who care about the news tend to be a little bit older, right? And so they look forward to the morning paper, and maybe they’re not necessarily people who are well-versed in finding news and information online,” Stem remarked.
The Omaha World Herald, a Lee Enterprises-owned newspaper, is not alone in facing these challenges. Lee Enterprises, which boasts ownership of 77 daily newspapers and approximately 350 specialty publications in 26 states, has been implementing layoffs across its newspaper properties nationwide.
The Freedom Center, located in downtown Omaha, NE, is where the Omaha World Herald staff will be relocated to. (Photo/Daytin Inserra-Cunningham)
Dr. Barbara Pickering, a Communication Professor, emphasized that a significant shift is occurring in how people consume news. She explained, “I think a generational shift is happening both in terms of how people get their news and where they get it, and I think there are some challenges that news sources are going to continue to face.”
As The Omaha World Herald and other news outlets grapple with these ongoing changes, it remains crucial to recognize and support quality journalism. The newspaper’s enduring legacy of delivering vital news to the community must persevere, even in the face of the industry’s transformation from print to digital.
