The Associated Press has laid off 20 U.S.-based journalists as part of a strategic restructuring. This move follows an earlier buyout offer and aims to shift the news organization's focus from traditional print journalism towards visual and other digital revenue sources.
What happened
On Friday, The Associated Press laid off 20 U.S.-based journalists, represented by the News Media Guild. This action is part of a restructuring announced last month, aiming to align AP's operations with evolving customer needs. These layoffs followed an earlier buyout offer to over 120 U.S.-based journalists, with approximately 40 accepting.
How many employees affected
Twenty U.S.-based journalists, specifically guild-covered staffers, were laid off. The Associated Press had previously stated a goal to reduce its global staff by less than 5%, but the total number of journalists employed by the company was not disclosed.
Why layoffs happened
The layoffs are part of AP's strategic pivot from print journalism to visual journalism and other revenue streams. This shift is in response to a 25% decline in newspaper revenue over the past four years, including major publishers dropping AP in 2024. Simultaneously, AP has seen a 200% growth in revenue from technology companies, reflecting a customer base now dominated by broadcast, digital, and technology sectors.
Company background
The Associated Press is one of the world's oldest and most influential news organizations. It operates as a not-for-profit news cooperative, providing news content to a wide array of media outlets globally.
Industry impact
The restructuring at The Associated Press reflects broader trends within the news industry, where traditional print media revenue is declining while digital and technology-driven platforms are growing. News organizations are increasingly adapting their strategies to focus on visual content and diversify revenue sources to remain competitive.
What's next
The Associated Press will continue its restructuring efforts, prioritizing visual journalism and catering to its changing customer base, which is now dominated by broadcast, digital, and technology companies. The company maintains that these changes are being made from a position of strength to recognize evolving market demands.