Okla media reductions

OPUBCO Communications Group, publisher of The Oklahoman, on Wednesday eliminated the positions of 46 employees as it continues to adjust to tough economic conditions.  The layoffs affected most major departments in the organization.

“We’re no different from businesses in other industries that have had to make changes in a difficult economic climate,” said David Thompson, President of OCG and Publisher of The Oklahoman.

The employees affected were offered severance packages as well as outplacement services.

Even with cutbacks, Thompson said, positive developments continue at OCG, which is the media division of The Oklahoma Publishing Co.  For example, the newspaper’s home delivery subscriptions in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area increased in 2010 over the previous year as measured by the Audit Bureau of Circulations, the industry’s auditing arm.

Audiences for The Oklahoman’s news, information and advertising content are growing rapidly on all digital platforms, such as tablets, e-readers and smart phones. The organization’s iPad application, available since October, was developed in house and was one of the first for a major daily newspaper.

“This reduction takes us to 690 employees while still maintaining the largest news-gathering team in the state,” Thompson said. “Our commitment to customers remains unchanged.”

To read the announcement with additional links, click here.