Chicago Sun-Times reducing staff by 20% through buyouts

The Chicago Sun-Times is set to lose about 20% of its staff after 30 employees accepted buyout offers. This includes many writers and editors, some of whom have decades of experience. The buyouts come as the paper faces ongoing financial challenges. Most of the departing staff are from the editorial team, including Editorial Page Editor Lorraine Forte and key members of the editorial board. Their resignations raise questions about the future of editorial content at the paper. Sports columnists Rick Morrissey and Rick Telander are also leaving, along with notable beat writers covering the Bears and White Sox. The buyouts were part of a strategy by the paper's nonprofit owner, Chicago Public Media, to address estimated financial shortfalls. The organization previously combined operations with public radio station WBEZ, which helped secure funding but has not fully solved financial issues. CEO Melissa Bell stated that the buyouts will save the company $4.2 million annually and that no layoffs are currently planned. However, staff concerns about management decisions persist. Some employees criticize Bell for pushing for buyouts while maintaining a large management team. Union members have protested the cuts, expressing worry about losing experienced colleagues. A new round of buyouts has been described as the most significant since major staff reductions in 2013-2014. The Sun-Times' future will likely see changes in its content and focus as the newsroom adapts to these staff reductions. Still, leadership insists that strong analysis and opinion pieces will remain part of the paper's mission.