Times-Union to join centralized news design operation

Posted

The Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville) and St. Augustine Record are joining some of their sister Morris Publishing Group newspapers in a centralized page design and production facility in Augusta, Ga.

The move will mean that, while newsgathering – reporting, editing and photography – will remain at the T-U on Riverside Avenue and at the Record, page design, some copy editing and production will be at the new Riverfront Design Center in Augusta. Pages will be sent back to Jacksonville for final approval and printing.

The Record now is being designed, produced and printed at the Times-Union.

The change, planned for February, will mean the elimination of 15 jobs in Jacksonville. T-U copy editors and page designers are being urged to apply for 12 new positions in Augusta, as well as for two new night editor positions at the T-U.

"Our readers should be assured that this change will not affect our local reporting, editing or editorializing and, in fact, will reinforce that priority," said Mark Nusbaum, president of the Times-Union. "All that is being centralized is page design and production. T-U reporters and editors in Jacksonville will continue to control our journalism and will sign off on all pages as they go to press.

"Centralization will allow for economies of scale, better use of technology and some standardization of design and typography."

Other newspapers being produced at the Riverfront Design Center are The Augusta Chronicle, the Savannah Morning News and the Athens Banner-Herald.

Such centralization of print design and production desks has been an industry trend for years, particularly in such large groups as Gannett Co., Cox Media Group, Gatehouse Media and The New York Times regional newspapers.

Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Morris
Calendar View all