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☆ China is facing a brutal reality as it desperately tries to fix its population decline problem
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

China's population fell for a second consecutive year as the birth rate reached a record low. AdvertisementFor the second year in a row, China's population fell. But still, the Chinese population — young people, in particular — did not bite. The law was introduced, in part, as an effort to boost the country's birth rate. This is a "global shift," Wang told BI.

Persons: —, Wang Feng, Wang, BI's Huileng Tan, China's, Ethan Michelson, Michelson Organizations: Service, country's National Bureau, Statistics, University of California, Communist Party, Chinese Community Party, Ethan Michelson , Indiana University Bloomington's, East Asian, BI, Los Angeles Times Locations: country's, China, Irvine, Hangzhou, East China, Wenzhou, Ethan Michelson ,, Seoul, South Korea, Italy, Taiwan

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The Messenger, an ambitious online news site that billed itself as a nonpartisan digital outlet and spent some $50 million ratcheting up its business effort, abruptly shut down Wednesday after only eight months in operation. In his email, Finkelstein said he hadn't shared the news with employees earlier because he had been trying desperately to raise enough funds to become profitable “literally until earlier today." “We exhausted every option available,” Finkelstein wrote, saying he was “personally devastated.”The Messenger website carried only its name and an email address Wednesday night. Planned cuts also have sparked walkouts by employees at other venues, including the New York Daily News and Forbes magazine. The Messenger was launched last May and spent heavily — some would say excessively, given the current media climate — in hopes of becoming a media heavyweight.

Persons: Jimmy Finkelstein, Finkelstein, hadn't, ” Finkelstein, “, ambitiously, Critics, Jonah Peretti, he'd, ” Organizations: The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Sports Illustrated, Business, New York Daily News, Forbes, Associated Press, Washington D.C Locations: BEACH, Fla, New York, Washington, Florida

☆ Google's layoffs already impacted its culture. Now they're affecting its bottom line.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

In today's big story, we're looking at highlights from two of the world's biggest tech companies' earnings reports, including how much layoffs cost for one of them. Tech: Tech CEOs will testify before Congress today for a hearing on child safety. Mateusz Wlodarczyk/Getty ImagesThere's been plenty of speculation about what Google's mass layoffs last year meant for its famous culture. Jerod Harris/Getty ImagesCongress is set to grill some of the biggest names in tech today. Leaders from Meta, X, TikTok, and other tech companies will face questions over their platforms' efforts to protect children from sexual exploitation online.

Persons: It's, Sundar Pichai, Mateusz Wlodarczyk, Sarah Jackson, Satya Nadella Stephen Brashear, Hisham Ibrahim, Jerome Powell's, Claudia Sahm, Powell, Linda Yaccarino, Jerod Harris, Linda Yaccarino's, Jack Dorsey's Block, Dorsey, Brooks Kraft, Dan DeFrancesco, Hallam Bullock, Jordan Parker Erb Organizations: Business, Tech, Google, Microsoft, Getty, Bloomberg, JPMorgan, Meta, Elon Musk's, Brooks Kraft LLC, Los Angeles Times, UPS, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Amazon, Boeing, Mastercard Locations: Chipotle, New York, London

☆ Startup news site The Messenger shutters less than a year after its launch
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Chloe Melas | Doha Madani | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The Messenger, a startup digital news website that launched in May, is shutting down after reports that it was running out of money, an executive at the outlet who has been briefed on the matter told NBC News on Wednesday. The Messenger launched in May with Jimmy Finkelstein, who previously owned The Hollywood Reporter and The Hill, at the helm. It promised to provide "thorough, objective, non-partisan, and timely news coverage" in a time of bias and misinformation. Earlier this month, Semafor reported that The Messenger's board was considering shutting down the website as the outlet was set to run out of funds by the end of January. A day before staff were informed they were now without jobs, The New York Post reported that Finklestein was working to secure deals to inject new revenue into The Messenger to keep the site going.

Persons: Jimmy Finkelstein, Semafor, Finklestein, Conde Nast Organizations: NBC News, Hollywood, New York Post, Los Angeles Times, Forbes, Time, Sports Illustrated, Tech Crunch, Business

☆ 2 ex-Boeing staffers said they wouldn't fly on the 737 Max, citing pressure to 'rush the planes out the door'
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Two former Boeing employees told the LA Times they wouldn't recommend flying on a 737 Max. "I saw the pressure employees were under to rush the planes out the door," a former senior manager said. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementTwo former Boeing staffers told the Los Angeles Times they wouldn't fly on a 737 Max jet due to concerns over its safety. "I would absolutely not fly a Max airplane," Ed Pierson, a former senior manager at Boeing, told the Times.

Persons: —, Ed Pierson, I've, Max, Joe Jacobsen, Jacobsen, Pierson, it's Organizations: Boeing, LA Times, Service, Los Angeles Times, Times, Alaska Airlines, Street Journal, New York Times, Airbus, Paris Air, Federal Aviation Administration, Business

☆ The economy is roaring. So why do we keep hearing about layoffs?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Los Angeles Times, eBay, and UPS are three companies that have made recent layoff announcements. Despite cuts at big household names, the nation's layoffs and discharges rate has been steadily low. AdvertisementEmployees at the Los Angeles Times, eBay , Microsoft , and UPS are some of the workers impacted by recent layoff announcements in January. That sector had a layoffs and discharges rate of 0.8% in December, which is actually a small dip from the 0.9% in November. Zhao noted that "the scale here" means that this number probably isn't really going to change because of the recent layoff announcements.

Persons: —, Nick Bunker, Bunker, Julia Pollak, ZipRecruiter's, Daniel Zhao, Glassdoor, Zhao, that's, Kory Kantenga, isn't Organizations: Los Angeles Times, eBay, UPS, Service, Microsoft, Bureau of Labor Statistics, North America, Labor, LinkedIn

☆ 50 of the most iconic red-carpet looks in Grammys history
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Gabbi Shaw | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Lady Gaga's neon-yellow hair and celestial dress at the 2010 Grammys will go down in awards show history. Lady Gaga at the 52nd Grammy Awards on January 31, 2010. "I am honored to be wearing Armani this evening. The series of pieces Mr. Armani created for me are truly iconic; they represent not only beautiful fashion, but my spirit and essence as an artist. She was wearing this creation when she won her first two Grammys that night.

Persons: Lady Gaga, John Shearer, Getty, wouldn't, Steven, Armani, Gaga Organizations: Los Angeles Times

☆ Trump allies ramp up attacks on Taylor Swift ahead of Super Bowl
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Taylor Swift performs during The Eras Tour at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood Monday, Aug. 7, 2023. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)Taylor Swift endorsed President Joe Biden's winning 2020 campaign — and while she hasn't backed Biden's reelection bid yet, allies of former President Donald Trump are already getting ready for it. Those attacks have ramped up ahead of the Super Bowl, which Swift is expected to try to attend to cheer on her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Vivek Ramaswamy, a Republican former presidential candidate who has endorsed Trump, wondered aloud on X whether an "artificially culturally propped-up couple" would endorse Biden after the Super Bowl. Swift was already a mega-celebrity when she endorsed Biden in 2020.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Allen J, Joe Biden's, —, Donald Trump, Swift, Travis Kelce, Vivek Ramaswamy, Trump, Biden, Ramaswamy, Alina Habba, Habba, Jesse Watters, it's Organizations: Los Angeles Times, Getty, Kansas City Chiefs, Republican, Biden, Fox News, Pentagon, Democratic, Trump Locations: Inglewood, U.S

☆ SAG-AFTRA slammed explicit AI images of Taylor Swift — but it agreed to some concerning AI terms following last year's Hollywood strike
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Eve Crosbie | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewThe SAG-AFTRA actors' union has issued a statement addressing the explicit AI-generated images of Taylor Swift that went viral this week. The actors' union condemned the deepfake images, calling them "upsetting, harmful, and deeply concerning." But some actors are still concerned over the new AI terms, particularly over the "vague" consent exemptions, Mashable reported. "The most serious issue of them all is the inclusion in the agreement of "Synthetic Performers," or "AI Objects," resembling humans.

Persons: —, Taylor Swift, Joe Morelle's, Taylor, Jay L, Justine Bateman Organizations: Service, Business, SAG, Los Angeles Times, Getty, Alliance, Television Producers, Mashable, Employers

☆ The world successfully tackled a dangerous pollutant. But did it accidentally warm the planet in the process?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

These ghost clouds look beautiful, but they are a visible sign of deadly air pollution. Of all of the theories, however, the impact of shipping regulations is swiftly becoming one of the most discussed. But this is not an argument against cutting air pollution, Diamond said, it’s an argument for tackling it alongside reducing carbon emissions. The cooling impact of air pollution is far outweighed by the heating impact of burning fossil fuels. It’s when air pollution is tackled without also reducing carbon emissions, that “we can get into trouble,” Diamond said.

Persons: ”, Michael Diamond, It’s, Olaf Morgenstern, ” Morgenstern, James Hansen, ” Hansen, ” Diamond, Piers Forster, Diamond, doesn’t, Jason Armond, Annica Ekman, it’s, ” Forster Organizations: CNN, International Maritime Organization, United Nations, Florida State University’s Department of, Atmospheric Science, National Institute of Water, Atmospheric Research, Atlantic, Leeds University, Shipping, Port, Los Angeles Times, Stockholm University Locations: New Zealand, El, Sahara, Tonga, Europe, North America, Asia, Port of Los Angeles, San Pedro , California, Sweden

When Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, the billionaire owner of The Los Angeles Times, hired Kevin Merida to be the newspaper’s top editor nearly three years ago, he hailed the journalist as someone who would maintain the publication’s high standards and journalistic integrity. Their relationship was strained in part by an incident in December when Dr. Soon-Shiong tried to dissuade Mr. Merida from pursuing a story about a wealthy California doctor and his dog, three people with knowledge of the interactions said. The previously unreported incident occurred as The Los Angeles Times, the largest news organization on the West Coast, struggled to reverse years of losses amid a difficult market for newspapers. Mr. Merida resigned this month. It is not unheard-of for the owner of a publication to be consulted on sensitive reporting, particularly if it could jeopardize the newspaper legally or financially.

Persons: Patrick Soon, Kevin Merida, Shiong, Mr, Dr, Merida Organizations: Los Angeles Times Locations: Merida, California, West Coast

☆ Artist Carl Andre, known for minimalist sculptures and a murder trial, dies at 88
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Wallace Ludel | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

American artist and sculptor Carl Andre pictured at London's Whitechapel Gallery in London on March 15, 1978. Andre’s work often consisted of industrially fabricated forms made from simple, raw material — such as metal, granite, wood, and brick — arranged in free-standing patterns. His death passing was confirmed on Wednesday by the Paula Cooper Gallery, with which the artist had worked since 1964. “My father always said, ‘I am old school and European, and my wife does not work,’” Andre told the magazine. Ken Hively/Los Angeles Times/Getty ImagesIn 1970, after just over a decade in New York, Andre received his first major museum survey, at the Guggenheim Museum.

Persons: Carl Andre, — Carl Andre, Paula Cooper, Ana Mendieta, Andre, ” Andre, George Andre —, “, Margaret Johnson, ‘, ’ ” Andre, ”, Frank Stella, Stella —, “ They’re, They’re, Ken Hively, Peter Schjeldahl, “ Andre, Mendieta, Helen Molesworth, Angeles’s Museum of Contemporary Art —, “ Carl Andre, Melissa Kretschmer Organizations: The Art, CNN, Phillips Academy, Kenyon College, Army, Northeastern University —, Tate, Los Angeles Times, Guggenheim Museum, The New York Times, Dia Beacon, Angeles’s Museum of Contemporary Art, Artforum Locations: London, American, New York City, Quincy , Massachusetts, United States, Sweden, “ The, Andover , Massachusetts, Beverly Hills, New York, Greenwich Village

☆ News industry off to brutal 2024 start as mass layoffs devastate publishers, raising questions about future of journalism
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Oliver Darcy | Jon Passantino | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The recent round of layoffs, while pronounced, are part of a much larger and unrelenting storm battering the journalism industry. Over the past 18 months, most news organizations have been forced to make difficult decisions to reduce their workforces. “I am sorry to say that I do not see turning around most legacy outlets,” Jeff Jarvis, the Leonard Tow Professor of Journalism Innovation at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, told CNN. Dan Kennedy, a journalism professor at Northeastern University, noted some local news outlets have found financial sustainability. “There are reasons to be optimistic given the hundreds of independent local news organizations that have sprouted up in recent years,” he said.

Persons: Condé Nast, ” Jay Rosen, “, Jeff Jarvis, Craig Newmark, ” Jarvis, ” Rosen, Steve Bannon’s, Margaret Sullivan, Sullivan, ”, ” Sullivan, Jeff Bezos ’, Patrick Soon, Dan Kennedy, Shiong’s, Jeff Bezos, ” Kennedy, Rosen Organizations: CNN, Los Angeles Times, Business, Condé, Forbes, The New York Daily News, Washington Post, NPR, Vice Media, Sports, Vox Media, NBC News, CNBC, Gannett, Netflix, Columbia University, Google, Meta, New York University, Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, America, Guardian, The Washington Post, The New York Times, “ Democracy, Jeff Bezos ’ Washington Post, Northeastern University, “ Billionaire, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Boston Globe, Journalists Locations: Covid, Jeff Bezos ’ Washington

NEW YORK (AP) — Journalists at The New York Daily News and Forbes walked off the job Thursday amid contentious contract talks with management and a difficult few weeks in the news industry. The one-day strike at the Daily News coincides with Forbes walkout, which runs through Monday. The labor union's actions come at a tumultuous time for media outlets, an increasing number of which are owned by billionaires. This week, Time magazine and Condé Nast, the publisher of Vogue, Vanity Fair, GQ and other marquee magazines, both announced significant job cuts. Forbes spokesperson Laura Brusca said the company is “working diligently” to reach a contract with the union.

Persons: “ Alden, Condé Nast, Jeff Bezos, Alden Global, Michael Gartland, they’re, “, Andrea Murphy, ”, didn’t, Laura Brusca, ” Murphy Organizations: — Journalists, The New York Daily News, Forbes, Daily, Daily News, Strikers, York, Vogue, GQ, Condé Nast, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Amazon, Sports, Alden Global Capital, Alden, The Daily News Locations: New York, Manhattan

☆ Paramount CEO announces layoffs as cost pressures, take-private talks build
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Sara Salinas | In Saracsalinas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Paramount CEO Bob Bakish announced layoffs at the media company Thursday, citing a need to "operate as a leaner company and spend less." Paramount did not immediately disclose how many jobs the company would cut. The company reports quarterly earnings at the end of February and plans to elaborate on its 2024 strategy then. The cuts come as a range of companies in the media industry and beyond announce layoffs while they push to trim costs. The layoffs also come as David Ellison's Skydance Media explores a deal to take Paramount private, CNBC reported Wednesday.

Persons: Bob Bakish, Bakish, David Ellison's Skydance Organizations: Paramount, Los Angeles Times, Business, Sports, CNBC, Hollywood, CNBC PRO

“There is no Ken without Barbie, and there is no ‘Barbie’ movie without Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, the two people most responsible for this history-making, globally celebrated film,” Ryan Gosling said. Her first three films as a solo director — “Lady Bird,”“Little Women” and “Barbie” — have all been nominated for best picture. One likely factor: the increasingly international composition of the film academy. After Ben Affleck went unnominated for directing 2012's “Argo,” voters rallied around his movie, ultimately handing Affleck the Oscar for best picture. Whether the same effect could follow “Barbie" will be one of the biggest questions leading up the Academy Awards.

Persons: —, Barbie ”, Greta Gerwig's, Ken, Barbie, Greta Gerwig, Margot Robbie, ” Ryan Gosling, Hillary Clinton, Greta, “ Barbie, “ Oppenheimer, Jimmy Kimmel, “ Jimmy Kimmel, ”, Gosling, Robbie, Gerwig, “, Lady Bird, Kathryn Bigelow, Zhao, Jane Campion, Bird, Noah Baumbach, “ Barbie ”, Robbie didn't, ” snubs, Mary McNamara, Barbie ’, Robbie’s Barbie, Justine Triet, Palme, Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer, Martin Scorsese, Jonathan Glazer, Yorgos, — Gerwig, Alexander Payne, Lanthimos, Glazer, Celine Song's “, Shannon Watts, “ Oscar, Ben Affleck, Affleck, Oscar, Billie Jean King, Jake Coyle Organizations: Twitter, Academy of Motion Pictures Arts, Sciences, Gerwig, Los Angeles Times, ” Locations: Europe

NEW YORK (AP) — Comedian Jon Stewart is rewinding the clock, returning to “The Daily Show” as a weekly host and executive producing through the 2024 U.S. elections cycle. Comedy Central on Wednesday said Stewart will host the topical TV show, the perch he ruled for 16 years starting in 1999, every Monday starting Feb. 12. Two former correspondents in particular got massive boosts — Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert. '”The show's abrupt end was reportedly triggered due to clashes between Stewart and Apple over its coverage of stories around China and artificial intelligence. A spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions about who will host “The Daily Show” after the November election.

Persons: Jon Stewart, Stewart, “ Jon Stewart, ” Chris McCarthy, Jon, Craig Kilborn, Trevor Noah —, Noah, Desi Lydic, Michael Kosta, Ronny Chieng, Jordan Klepper, Stewart didn't, untethered, ”, “, I’m, ’ ”, John Oliver, Larry Wilmore, Olivia Munn, Samantha Bee, Roy Wood Jr, Aasif Mandvi, Kennedy, Mark Twain, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Carell, Ron Burgundy, ” Colbert, ___ Mark Kennedy Organizations: Central, Showtime, MTV Entertainment Studios, Strike Force, Hollywood, Guardian, CBS, Apple, Los Angeles Times Locations: China

If you’re worried you could be laid off — or if you’ve lost your job — personal finance professionals and career advisers have recommendations for how to cope. You can do this by leaving space in your resume to include keywords that are specific to the job you are applying for. IF YOU HAVE BEEN LAID OFFPRIORITIZE YOUR MENTAL HEALTHYour mental health can be heavily affected after a job loss. SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCEIt can be hard to talk about losing your job, and you should only share if you feel comfortable. “It shows that you have grit, that you’re willing to work hard and take care of your responsibilities,” she said.

Persons: you’re, you’ve, Jesse Mecham, Mecham, It’s, Scott Dobroski, “, ”, Marlo Lyons, Lyons, Dobroski, “ I’ve, ” Lyons, “ Don’t, Charles Schwab Organizations: eBay, Riot Games, Los Angeles Times, YOU, Jobs, LinkedIn, “, Labor Department, Associated Press, Charles, Charles Schwab Foundation, Inc, AP Locations: Lafayette , Colorado, U.S

☆ Jewish groups in Spain are troubled by their government's decision to cling onto a painting looted by the Nazis
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The decision has appalled the family, and those in the Jewish community. Spain's leading Jewish organization has long supported the family's legal fight to wrest the painting from the Spanish museum that holds it. AdvertisementThe museum, for its part, welcomed the US court's decision, while declining to comment on the views of the Jewish community in Spain. Californian law doesn't give owners rights over stolen goods. But in Spain, if you buy stolen goods in good faith, you have stronger claims.

Persons: —, Spain's, Bernardo Cremades, Lilly Neubauer, Camille Pissarro, Neubauer, Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen, We've, Cremades, Francisco Franco, Cornelis van der, Ramón, Ernest Urtasun, Consuelo Callahan Organizations: Service, Business, Federation of Jewish Communities, Federation of Young, Saint, Guardian, Museo Nacional Thyssen, Bornemisza, Los Angeles Times, Circuit, Appeals, Spanish, El, BI Locations: California, Spain, Germany, Spanish, Bornemisza, Madrid, Basque

Even by the standards of a news business whose fortunes have plummeted in the digital age, the last few weeks have been especially grim for American journalism. Prominent newspapers like The Washington Post are shedding reporters and editors, and on Tuesday, The Los Angeles Times laid off more than 20 percent of its newsroom. Esteemed titles like Sports Illustrated, already a shadow of their former selves, have been gutted overnight. An average of five local newspapers are closing every two weeks, according Northwestern University’s Medill School, with more half of all American counties now so-called news deserts with limited access to news about their hometowns. Of 1,100 public radio stations and affiliates, only about one in five is producing local journalism.

Persons: — Organizations: Los Angeles Times, Cable, Sports, Northwestern University’s Medill School Locations: Washington

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Times plans to lay off 94 newsroom employees — one-fourth of its newsroom staff — starting Tuesday, a number that is substantial but less than feared, the head of the journalists union said. The announcement comes after the LA Times Guild walked off the job last Friday to protest the imminent layoffs, the first newsroom union work stoppage in the newspaper’s 143-year history. Matt Pearce, president of the Media Guild of the West, which encompasses the Times' union, called it a “dark day.” He said the layoffs represent one-fourth of the Times Guild's entire membership. “Many departments and clusters across the newsroom will be heavily hit,” Pearce said in a statement Tuesday. Pearce said the union's bargaining committee would meet with Times management on Wednesday to start discussions about the layoffs as set out by the contract.

Persons: Matt Pearce, ”, ” Pearce, Gray, Dr, Patrick Soon, Kevin Merida, Pearce Organizations: ANGELES, Los Angeles Times, LA Times Guild, Media Guild, Times, Washington Post, NPR, CNN, Vox Media, LA Times, Tribune Co Locations: Challenger

☆ Los Angeles Times slashes more than 20% of newsroom staff as the paper confronts a ‘financial crisis’
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The cuts will impact at least 115 journalists, a person familiar with the matter told CNN, or slightly more than 20% of the newsroom. A spokesperson for The Times, which is owned by biotech billionaire Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, did not immediately comment. “Today’s decision is painful for all, but it is imperative that we act urgently and take steps to build a sustainable and thriving paper for the next generation,” Soon-Shiong told James. Soon-Shiong told James on Tuesday, however, that he had lost the confidence of Merida and some high-ranking editors he had appointed. The owner also pushed back against the characterization that the newspaper is in trouble, telling James, “We are not in turmoil.

Persons: ”, Matt Pearce, Pearce, Patrick Soon, Shiong, Meg James, “, James, Kevin Merida Organizations: CNN, Los Angeles Times, The Times, Times, Democratic, Monday, LA Times, . Locations: Merida, California

☆ The Los Angeles Times plunges into ‘chaos’ as brutal layoffs loom and senior editors call it quits
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —The Los Angeles Times is in disarray. The Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong-owned newspaper, which houses the largest newsroom in the western U.S., has been thrown into a state of mayhem as severe layoffs loom and senior editorial leaders abruptly call it quits. “I cannot overstate the level of chaos,” one staffer, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, candidly told me on Monday. Then, news of forthcoming mass layoffs ensued, prompting the employee’s union to stage a historic one-day walk out on Friday. “All we are asking for is the opportunity for our newspaper and hardworking journalists to be fairly compensated, and for the L.A. Times to have a fair chance to become a self-sustaining institution.”

Persons: Patrick Soon, “, ”, Kevin Merida, Meg James, — Julia Turner, Sara Yasin, Scott Kraft, Shani Hilton —, alums Hilton, Yasin, Turner, “ Scott, Shiong Organizations: New York CNN, Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed, alums, Kraft, Tribune Publishing, LA Times, LA Times Studios, Democratic, California, . Locations: New York, U.S

☆ It’s primary time in New Hampshire. Here’s a snapshot of the Granite State’s economy
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Alicia Wallace | Tami Luhby | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

New York CNN —New Hampshire, the “first-in-the-nation” primary state (which will hold those elections Tuesday), has been a relatively “better-off” state than most others nationally. Median income/povertyThe typical New Hampshire household has a higher income compared to the average in the United States, and a smaller share of state’s residents are in poverty. Southeastern New Hampshire — where three-quarters of the state’s residents live — benefits from being close to the Boston metropolitan area, said Phil Sletten, research director at the left-leaning New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute. Some 42% of New Hampshire residents approved of Biden on the economy, with 55% disapproving, according to a November CNN/University of New Hampshire poll. But when it comes to their personal finances, New Hampshire residents are downbeat.

Persons: ’ ”, Charlie Dougherty, ”, ” Dougherty, “ You’ve, Patricia M, Anderson, Patrick Connelly, ” Connelly, that’s, Brian Gottlob, “, Spencer Platt, Lori Harnois, Gottlob, Phil Sletten, Sletten, Joe Biden, Biden, Gina Ferazzi Organizations: New, New York CNN —, United States, of Labor Statistics, Wells, Labor, Reserve, Dartmouth University, CNN, Housing, Tax Foundation, Tourism, Census, Granite State, Survey, New Hampshire —, University of New, Commerce Department, University of New Hampshire Survey Center, Patrons, Los Angeles Times, Independents Locations: New York, New York CNN — New Hampshire, Granite, New Hampshire, Boston, , New Hampshire, “ New Hampshire, “, Hampshire, Chester , New Hampshire, Manchester, Devon, Bartlett , New Hampshire, Ohio, Washington, New, Canada, Pennsylvania, United States, Granite State, University of New Hampshire, Colebrook , New Hampshire

The announcement ends uncertainty about the extent of the cuts, after negotiations were held between the union and Times management. Dr. Soon-Shiong wrote in a note to staff that he and Mr. Merida had “mutually agreed” that Mr. Merida should leave. News of the layoffs — which will shrink the newsroom to the size it was when Dr. Soon-Shiong bought it — was delivered on Tuesday in a brief email to affected employees. “We are saddened to have to take this step and thank you for your work for the Los Angeles Times,” the email said. The cuts affected many departments at The Los Angeles Times, including its business desk, its Washington bureau and its “Fast Break” desk, which covers breaking news.

Persons: Kevin Merida, Shiong, Merida, Shani Hilton, Sara Yasin, — Organizations: The Times, Times, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times Locations: Merida, Washington

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