Stay positive after losing your job

The Society of American Business Editors and Writers is holding a members-only teleconference discussion on how to stay positive after losing your job.
The discussion will cover how to stay positive during your job search, what hiring managers are looking for now, how to update your resume and how to look for jobs beyond the conventional places.
The SABEW event will take place on July 14 at 3pm EST. Colleen Eddy, Kevin Noblet and Beth Hunt will be participating in the discussion with Bill Choyke moderating.
To join SABEW, click here.
For more information, click here.

At least 250 biz journalism jobs lost this year

In a new SABEW post, Chris Roush tallies that at least 250 business journalism jobs have been lost in 2009 so far.

Included in the list of business publications that made staff cuts already this year is Bloomberg, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, the Chicago Tribune and the San Diego Union-Tribune.
From the article:

"During the first six months of the year, more than 250 business journalists lost their jobs due to media closings, layoffs or newsroom buyouts, according to an analysis of the industry by the Carolina Business News Initiative at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill."

GM plant closures

The Wall Street Journal has a short, straightforward story on the 17 factories and part centers General Motors Corp. will be closing as part of its Chapter 11. The story lists the plants by their town and state locations. WSJ states that G.M. plans to cut roughly 20,000 factory jobs (more than 1/3 of G.M.'s U.S. workforce).
According to the story, 3 plants may "reopen if market demand rebounds." The story also mentions G.M.'s plans to convert a factory currently unused into a place to construct small cars.
View the story here.

Economic map down

Slate created an interactive map this month that chronicles America's increasing job losses from Jan. 2007 to March 2009.
The map is strewn with markers, detailing down to state counties the jobs gained or lost in the current month. The map's animation ticks through its timeline, showing changes in employment down to individual counties by changes in map markers' color and scale.
The project, which is based on local area unemployment statistics from the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, takes a large body of data and gives it life. It also provides insight into different regional economic trends over the past three years.
Business journalism projects like this that simultaneously provide a macro and micro perspective on national issues are becoming a necessity rather than a luxury. Multimedia pieces like this interactive map are key in journalism stepping up to help people navigate this complex financial environment.
View the project here.

Associated Press buys out veteran staff

Word that the Associated Press is offering buyouts got out Monday. The buyouts were offered three weeks ago with little publicity. The News Media Guild said the move was part of AP's attempt to reduce its labor costs by 10 percent.
The news organization is offering $500 for each year of service and pension benefits increased 14 to 16 percent.
The offers target hundreds of veteran staff. Employees who take the buyout must be at least 55 years of age, have worked at the AP at least 10 years, and their age and years of service must total up to 75.
View the full story here.

192 positions eliminated at San Diego Union-Tribune

The new owner of the The San Diego Union-Tribune cut 192 jobs at the paper just three days after the acquisition was completed. A Beverly Hills based private equity firm, Platinum Equity, purchased the paper from Copley Press Inc.

Employees were given termination notices, effective July 6, on Thursday. Cuts were made in several departments, including the newsroom. The company assured employees they will receive "transition assistance and termination benefits."

For more click here.

Cuts on the Trib biz desk

Michael Miner of the Chicago Reader has a partial list of the staffers that were cut in the latest reductions at the Chicago Tribune.
On the business side he has listed four reporters staffers so far. The total number of employees cut will be about 53, so more names might be added in the following days.
Here's a partial list. For the full list click here.
* Susan Diesenhouse, Real Estate Feature Writer
* Eric Benderoff, Technology Reporter, Financial News
* James P. Miller, Corporate Strategy and Manufacturing Reporter, Financial News
* Joshua Boak, Business Reporter

NYT ad revenue way down

Bloomberg reports that The New York Times Co. listed a 27 percent drop in first-quarter advertising revenue, expanding its net loss to $74.5 million.
From the story:

Times Co. cut jobs, slashed pay, halted its dividend and sold assets to help preserve cash after ad revenue slipped 13 percent last year. It’s seeking to sell its minority stake in the Boston Red Sox baseball team and is negotiating additional pay and job cuts with unions. “It’s clear from these results that it’s a very, very bad environment for newspapers,” Edward Atorino, a New York-based analyst at Benchmark Co., said in an interview. “There’s no sign of relief.