AJC staff cuts harsher this time

This morning’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution staff cuts are the second major rounds of cuts at the paper in less than two years — but this time they appear to be more painful.

In the spring of 2007, the paper offered buyouts to longtime staffers and reduced the newsroom workforce by around 80 people — to around 420. This time the reductions won’t be all voluntary and, we’re told, the terms are a bit less generous. (NOTE: Editor Julia Wallace just told me the buyout terms are the same as last year — except they’re available to more staffers. My interview with Wallace coming soon on Fresh Loaf.)

According to the press release: “The staff reductions, which will occur between August and October, will take place primarily in News and Advertising and will be accomplished through a combination of voluntary buyouts, involuntary layoffs and position eliminations.”

The company’s release says the AJC will reduce its full-time staff of 2,300 by 8 percent of the AJC’s 2,300 employees. That works out to 184 or so people.

It’s unclear what portion of that will come from the folks who actually gather information and present it to the public. Publisher John Mellott said the cuts will mainly come from advertising and editorial.

Not surprisingly, the paper’s print offerings will suffer:

* Better Health will be folded into Wednesday Living.

* Buyer’s Edge will move into Saturday Living.

* Discontinued local sections, including NorthSide, CityLife and NorthWest, as well as the daily Gwinnett news section.

No news on my earlier report that the brass was considering elimination of the Sunday @issue. We’ll be checking into that.