DAYTONA BEACH -- The Daytona Beach News-Journal fired nine newsroom employees Tuesday, bringing to total 186 employees let go in the past six months, along with the closings of its bureaus in New Smyrna Beach, DeLand, Deltona and Bunnell.
All are part of cost-cutting measures to get the newspaper ready for sale, though no prospective buyers have been announced since the News-Journal lost a lawsuit to its minority partner, Cox Enterprises.
Cox sued after the News-Journal spent $13 million in naming rights for the News-Journal Center, a $29 million cultuaral arts center paid for largely with taxpayer money. The center has since been acquired by Daytona State College at a fraction of the cost.
The newspaper announced the latest round of firings yesterday, which now brings staff totals to 556.
"We lost talented friends and colleagues in the newsroom with this latest round of layoffs," said Don Lindley, the newspaper’s editor, according to a story Tuesday online. "We accept the economic reality with a determination to keep publishing the best newspaper we can for our readers."