Here's One Media Layoff Story You Won't Read in the New York Post

Keith Kelly Will Have To Go Silent, Assuming He Still Has a Job

The Daily Beast has word of corona virus-related layoffs at the New York Post. Finally.

Finally, in that the Murdochs have let the Post bleed rivers of red ink for decades, partially because they can and mostly so they can piss off Andrew Cuomo and Bill De Blasio.

The newsroom has usually run thin, but the sports section is still laden with top-shelf columnists and beat writers. There's also solid coverage of the media industry, real estate and entertainment. And, of course, Page Six is well, Page Six. Estimates have put the Post's annual losses at as far north of $100 million a year. Old Man Murdoch may have viewed that as a rounding error as the price for influence. But that was apparently then.

COVID-19 has laid waste to ad budgets. Newspapers here, there and everywhere have gone on a furlough and layoff frenzy. Others stopped printing and went online. Some have pulled up stakes for good. The Post, mostly under the auspices of media columnist/uber maven Keith Kelly, has been dutifully reporting on the misfortunes of other companies, like Gannett and McClatchy.

And now this. At least a dozen staffers got the axe, while some part-timers are now on a long-time furlough, according to the Daily Beast. So far, only one reporter has revealed his fate, 16-year veteran Rich Calder.

I was laid off from @nypost yesterday due to the economic crisis. It was a wild 16-year ride, including the last 5 covering City Hall, that I'm glad I took! And I am humbled by the outpouring of support I’ve since received from the Room 9 crew, ex-colleagues & so many others! 1/2

— Rich Calder (@Rich_Calder) April 30, 2020

 But he has company. And they have names besides misery.

UPDATE: 5/1/20 at 11:20 a.m.

Longtime sports writer of distinction Kevin Kernan gave his -30- on Twitter.

After 23 years the Parting Glass was raised to me at NYPost. Blessed run, 44 years total. From Thurman, Goose, Reggie, LT, Bernard, Bird, Magic, Michael, Patrick, Doc, Gwynn, Seau, Eli, Derek, A-Rod, Piazza, Wright, deGrom, Judge, Alonso, AMBS delivered. Thanks for being there.

— Kevin Kernan (@AMBS_Kernan) May 1, 2020