“It’s always sad to see talented people leave our newsroom,” said Brett French, the Gazette’s outdoors editor. Former photo intern Ryan Berry was hired to fill the vacancy left by Page’s promotion.Ĭonsequently, the Gazette’s news staff enters 2021 reduced by five positions. News editor Alyssa Small resigned and was replaced by assistant photo editor Casey Page. News editor Darrell Ehrlick and opinion page editor Pat Bellinghausen’s positions were eliminated. In addition to the buyouts, the Gazette’s news staff lost three other members in 2020. Lee Enterprises downsized other newsrooms in Montana earlier in the year but could not make changes at the Gazette while contract talks were underway. Lee also approved an extra $2,400 incentive to cover two months of COBRA insurance for those who voluntarily resigned. The buyouts were one of the items the Montana News Guild negotiated for in its first one-year contract with Lee Enterprises. “We simply can’t keep doing more with less.” “I went through with my acceptance because with those eliminations, it feels next to impossible to continue to help uphold the breadth and quality of journalism we’ve been known for, especially since more layoffs can - and probably will - happen at any time,” she said. Lacy, after accepting the offer, learned her position would be rehired but the three journalists and their roles would be eliminated. to a report of a stabbing at 215 South 27th Street. The Billings Police Department said that officers responded at 9:26 p.m. “With rising health insurance costs, stagnant wages and higher cost of living expenses, I told him I couldn’t afford to stay anymore, financially or emotionally.” A person died after being stabbed in Billings on Sunday, July 3, 2022.
“In negotiations with (regional editor) David McCumber, I was told that the company had zero flexibility,” Paige said. Parent corporation Lee Enterprises authorized four buyouts, although three were initially offered, due to interest from guild members and despite Paige’s request to be kept on under new terms. 21, buyout agreements were authorized for education reporter Matt Hoffman, special publications editor Charity Dewing and arts and entertainment reporter Anna Paige, marking their last day at the publication.Įditorial administrative assistant Rachelle Lacy’s buyout agreement was enacted on Dec. We recognize newspapers are facing difficult times in a quickly changing digital environment, but corporate decision makers have seemed unwilling or ill-equipped to invest in our strongest asset - the Gazette’s journalists.Ĭonsequently, we have chosen to unionize to advocate for our newsroom and its talented and dedicated group of page designers, writers, editors, photographers and office administrators.The shortest day of the year marked the departure of three Montana News Guild members from the Billings Gazette newspaper, further darkening an already dim time of year. We believe that through unionizing, we can create a more stable environment for local news to grow.
For too long we have seen our corporate out-of-state employer, Lee Enterprises, cut our staff and raise our medical costs while providing few, if any, cost of living increases. With this honorable heritage in mind, the Montana News Guild was founded to protect and nurture the future of The Billings Gazette’s journalists. We believe that through unionizing, we can create a more stable environment for local news to grow. Great Falls Voyagers in Pioneer League baseball at Dehler Park. Others in our profession have recognized the Gazette staff’s efforts by naming us Montana’s top daily newspaper for the past four years. Our sports coverage is recognized as the best in the state, thanks to the night and weekend coverage of a dedicated team of writers, photographers and editors. We’ve published stories and editorials advocating for our Jewish community, and held law enforcement and political officials accountable for failing to investigate missing and murdered indigenous people. Our newsroom has covered the effects of combat on families and soldiers from World War I to Afghanistan and Iraq. In the course of that 135 years, our newsroom has educated and advocated for its readers while holding those in power accountable to a democratic society. Since 1885, The Billings Gazette has published in what is now Montana’s largest city, documenting the lives of a diverse citizenry in one of the largest newspaper coverage areas in the nation. We are the inheritors of a proud tradition in a great state. The Montana News Guild was founded to protect the future of The Billings Gazette’s journalists.