North Carolina paper's business editor leaving amid cuts

Don Worthington, the business editor at the Fayetteville Observer in North Carolina, is leaving the paper next month amid nearly two-dozen job cuts in the newsroom.

A story in the paper stated, “Of the 21 positions affected, 12 were voluntary departures, including Business Editor Don Worthington, whose last day with the Observer will be Nov. 5. All 21 employees are eligible for severance packages.

“Wednesday’s announcement reflects the first layoffs the company has implemented since 1990, when the company merged the Observer with its sister paper, The Fayetteville Times. Despite the cuts, Broadwell said, the company remains committed to producing quality products and investing in growth areas.

“Across the industry, newspapers and other media companies have been faced with rising costs, such as newsprint prices, while dealing with the economic downturn and its effect on advertising revenue.”

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