Times-Picayune Staff Learning Extent of Job Cuts

Times-Picayune employees will be in meetings today to learn if they’re losing their jobs. Leading advertisers are joining a campaign to fight the cutbacks.

Leaders in food, cars, real estate, furniture and funeral businesses are among those adding their names to a panel opposing a shrinking newspaper. The Times-Picayune is planning to cut back print editions to three days a week, starting this fall, and the company says it’s shifting focus to the online Nola.com. But real estate concerns worry that clients won’t get access to the market, and the business could shift to other digital outlets.

The Newhouse company plans to cut Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday editions. Cars ads are a major part of the Saturday paper. Incoming publisher Ricky Mathews issued a statement, saying concerns are taken seriously and outreach efforts are continuing.