The Associated Press announced on Monday that it will lay off fewer than 5% of its global workforce, a response to falling newspaper readership and declining advertising revenues. This marks yet another setback for the struggling news industry.
In a memo to staff, Editor-in-chief Julie Pace noted that these layoffs will mainly impact the U.S. news team, along with a few roles in other news departments based in the U.S. She referenced the ever-changing landscape of media as a key factor in this decision.
Pace pointed out that AP’s clientele is shifting, moving away from traditional print to include broadcast stations, digital platforms, and even non-media businesses.
She indicated that although AP has made strides in adapting over the years, a substantial part of its business still relies on major U.S. newspaper groups, which currently represent less than 10% of its overall operations. “It’s time for us to be bolder in this transformation,” she added.
While the announcement didn’t specify the exact number of job cuts, estimates from the Marketing and Media Alliance suggest that AP employs around 3,700 people, and potentially up to 185 positions might be at risk.
A spokesperson for AP chose not to disclose the exact number of jobs that would be eliminated.
“AP’s business remains stable and profitable. We are making strategic decisions to better align with the evolving needs of major clients, including global broadcasters and tech giants,” the representative commented. It’s interesting to note that, like many in the media landscape these days, AP is continuously adapting to how audiences prefer to access news and information.
The restructuring effort comes amid a wave of layoffs across the media sector as organizations deal with shrinking advertising revenues and changing reading habits.
Earlier this year, The Washington Post let go of about a third of its staff, including numerous journalists, in its own operational overhaul.
Other significant media organizations, such as CNN, CBS, NBC, and Business Insider, are also cutting jobs as they shift towards more digital-centric and video-focused strategies.
Back in late 2024, AP had already laid off about 8% of its workforce as part of a similar initiative aimed at modernizing its business model.
This time around, the company plans to invite unionized employees to voluntarily resign before executing more extensive layoffs.
