Associated Press to Cut 8 Percent of Workforce

The Associated Press (AP) has announced plans to reduce its workforce by around eight percent, citing the need to adapt to shifting customer demands and accelerate its transition to a digital-first news organization. The changes, which include voluntary buyouts and layoffs, were detailed in a Nov. 18 memo to staff from CEO Daisy Veerasingham.
In the memo, Veerasingham wrote that “difficult changes” are needed as the company seeks to adapt to an increasingly competitive and digitally-driven media environment. The cuts will predominantly affect U.S.-based operations, though less than half will come from AP’s news division.
“This is a time of transformation in the media sector,” Veerasingham wrote. “Our customers—both who they are and what they need from us—are changing rapidly. This is why we’ve focused on delivering a digital-first news report. We now need to accelerate on this path.”
As part of its digital pivot, AP plans to prioritize visual journalism, including video and interactive content, and launch a foundation aimed at addressing news deserts across the United States. The organization is also exploring new revenue streams to support its operations.
Veerasingham acknowledged the difficulty of the changes, noting that affected employees will receive layoff notices in the coming weeks. The News Media Guild, which represents many of AP’s unionized employees, said 121 of its members would be offered buyouts. However, AP expects the final number of union job cuts to be lower.