NYT memo on editing cuts: ‘…we believe it was deliberate, fair and necessary.’

New York Times Executive Editor Dean Baquet and Managing Editor Joe Kahn have updated the newspaper of record’s staff in a memo about changes to the editing structure and process.

“We have taken some critical steps in remaking our editing system for the digital age. More than 100 editors, mainly from the copy desk but also from other parts of the newsroom, applied for new positions on desks, the Express team and an expanded Print Hub,” the memo reads. “This was the first big step in creating ‘strong desks’ to handle the full range of editing we do.”

The majority of those who applied will get new positions, but the memo also notes that a small “but significant number of people did not receive new positions as part of that process. They were told of their status last week so that they have time to consider the buyout offer.”

The memo is the latest in a back and forth between the editors and staff about the upcoming changes. It began with a call from copy editors for leadership to make the cuts less severe.

Cutting us down to 50 to 55 editors from more than 100, and expecting the same level of quality in the report, is dumbfoundingly unrealistic. Work with us on a new number.

Baquet and Kahn responded.

We are in fact eliminating a free standing copy desk. We are not, as we have said repeatedly, eliminating copy editing. A majority of people currently employed by the copy desk will find new editing jobs. All of our desks will continue to ensure a high level of editing, spanning backfielding, copy editing, photo editing and digital and print production, for all the journalism we produce.

The larger newsroom staff also weighed in.

Like nearly everyone we know in the newsroom, we believe that the plan to eliminate dozens of editing jobs and do away with the copy desks is ill-conceived and unwise, and will damage the quality of our product. It will make us sloppier, more error-prone.

They went on to protest.

The latest memo explains how the new editing changes will unfold during the next two months.

Our Digital Transitions team has a comprehensive plan to train editors and troubleshoot the changes desk by desk. By the end of September, the whole newsroom will be operating on the strong-desk model.

Here’s the full memo: