‘Statesman’ sees Gannett furloughs

The Austin American-Statesman is among the newspapers that will have fewer reporters available to cover local news in the coming months, as a result of a decision by its parent company to institute mandatory furloughs to many of its salaried employees. In memos delivered to all Gannett newsrooms Monday, anyone making more than $38,000 per year will be required to take one week of unpaid leave each month from April through June. The decision was made in response to sharp declines in advertising revenue related to the widespread economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. An accompanying FAQ stated that the company hopes more furloughs won’t be necessary beyond June, but that “No decision on this can be made at this time.”