As we reported earlier, New York Times editors and reporters organized a walkout Thursday to protest a coming round of copy editor layoffs that could reduce the total number of editors employed at the organization from more than 100 to around 50.
The walkout reportedly began at 3 p.m., Eastern Time and lasted fifteen minutes. After what looks like a sizable portion - if not the entire staff- of the New York Times New York headquarters spilled out onto 42nd street and Eigth Ave. (the location of the Times' Time Square headquarters), photos and video of the walkout are begining to emerge on twitter...
The New York Times walkout for copy editors. pic.twitter.com/XGipjKyD7F
— Monica Castillo (@mcastimovies) June 29, 2017
Copy editor solidarity walk out at @nytimes as their jobs are under threat from dramatic restructuring pic.twitter.com/LvsM1zVmmd
— Sarah Maslin Nir (@SarahMaslinNir) June 29, 2017
NYT staff are carrying signs with slogans like "editors save our buts (sic)", "editors make the times the times" and "this sign wsa (sic) not edited".
Another sign read "visual journalism without photos" - a reference to the paper's efforts to cut back on photo editors.
NYT columnist Jenna Wortham can be seen wearing a pin touting her status as a "proud union journalist" and holding a poster that reads "this sign was not edited.
Here's a good one...
NYT guild walkout today pic.twitter.com/Kk7XkRcTaU
— Sapna Maheshwari (@sapna) June 29, 2017
A photo of the empty Times newsroom begs the question - who exactly is editing tomorrow's paper?
Management has reportedly responded to employees' grievances while the walkout was in progress.
In response from top editors to letter from reporters today protesting cuts: "Reporters will leave The Times in this round of cuts as well"
— Sydney Ember (@melbournecoal) June 29, 2017
The big question is: Will this show of "solidarity" impact managements' decision? Though the New York Times' company stock is up 35% this year - thanks in part to the paper's renewed relevance in the age of the "resistence" - print ad revenue has declined faster than digital ads can fill the gap. Can the paper afford to keep all these editors while still meeting the onermous demands for profits from shareholders?