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.”…