CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Charleston Gazette-Mail has completed the consolidation of its two formerly separate newsrooms, the Gazette and Daily Mail.
The newspaper underwent a re-application process with employees to determine skills and interests resulting in the best newspaper and digital coverage going forward.
Every employee was provided an interview with a three-member committee consisting of publisher Susan Shumate and editors Rob Byers and Brad McElhinny.
Some layoffs resulted while other employees chose to take retirement, new jobs elsewhere and/or severance. The newspaper experienced an overall reduction in newsroom staff of 18 full-time employees, seven of which were employment terminations. This is a trend that has occurred across the newspaper industry during difficult financial times.
Some longtime employees such as reporter Paul J. Nyden, features writer Charlotte Ferrell Smith, photographer Craig Cunningham and copy editor Charles Reilly opted for retirement.
“Unfortunately, we said goodbye to a number of employees who were talented, dedicated members of our newspaper family,” Shumate said. “The Gazette-Mail will miss them…
