McClatchy Cut Workforce by Thirty Percent in September
The Bradenton Herald terminated three employees as the parent company continued a massive restructuring effort.
Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Jobs — General
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McClatchy laid off 30 percent of its total workforce in September 2026. This move included the termination of three employees at the Bradenton Herald, a paper that currently maintains a staff of two reporters and one editor.
Why it matters
The industry is shifting toward artificial intelligence for news gathering, raising concerns about potential losses in credibility and internal communication. Additionally, research suggests that the decline of local journalism can lead to higher municipal borrowing costs for the surrounding communities.
The layoffs impacted 30 percent of the total McClatchy workforce. At the Bradenton Herald, the staff was reduced to just two reporters and one editor following the termination of three individuals, including photojournalist Tiffany Tompkins, who had been with the paper for 27 years.
The players
McClatchy
This major publishing company operates numerous local news outlets and has been under the ownership of Chatham Asset Management since 2020.
Bradenton Herald
This is a local newspaper based in Bradenton, Florida, that has seen its editorial staff reduced to three remaining employees.
Chatham Asset Management
This hedge fund investment firm owns and operates McClatchy following the media company's emergence from bankruptcy.
Tiffany Tompkins
She is a photojournalist who spent 27 years working at the Bradenton Herald before her position was terminated.
The details
The cuts reflect a broader industry transition where news organizations increasingly leverage artificial intelligence to gather information and recognize patterns in documents. These staffing changes occur under the ownership of Chatham Asset Management, which has managed the company since its 2020 bankruptcy filing.
Timeline
Over the last two decades between 2006 and 2026, 80 percent of local journalism jobs have disappeared.
McClatchy filed for bankruptcy in 2020.
McClatchy laid off 30 percent of its workforce in September 2026.
Market Landscape
The reduction in staff is part of a broader trend where 80 percent of local journalism roles have vanished over the last two decades. The loss of local reporting is statistically linked to a 17 percent increase in municipal borrowing costs, signaling a potential economic risk for the communities these papers serve.
Readers in Bradenton should expect a smaller local news presence, which may impact the depth and frequency of reporting on city government and neighborhood issues. These changes often result in less comprehensive coverage of the daily events that affect local household and civic life.
The takeaway
The transition toward AI-driven newsrooms prioritize profitability for hedge fund owners over traditional local reporting. Readers must remain vigilant as the reduction of human journalists often leads to gaps in institutional knowledge and community oversight.
Further reading
For more on shifts within the local workforce, visit the Jobs — General section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WMNF 88.5 FM.
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