Downplaying layoff news

Hal Morris, writing on his Grumpy Editor blog, comments that The Wall Street Journal downplayed 4,000 layoffs at Bank of America that received much bigger coverage at other papers.

Morris wrote, “But the revelation received only one large paragraph (under In Brief) in yesterday’s WSJ.

“That compares with more detailed stories in the affected areas of Michigan, which will lose 1,500 of those jobs, and Illinois, where 2,500 will get pink slips over the next two years.

“Major articles on the layoffs were in yesterday’s Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Detroit News and Detroit Free Press. The New York Times gave the development six paragraphs via a Reuters report.

“In Charlotte, N.C., where BofA has its headquarters and 15,000 employees, yesterday’s Charlotte Observer buried the dual-state layoffs with two short paragraphs deep into a feature, “BofA’s Lewis aids stability in time of turmoil,â€? along with a photo of CEO Ken Lewis.

Read more here.