McClatchy prices out experienced reporters

THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST — McClatchy Media is pricing experienced reporters out of the local news industry at a time when communities deserve reliable information more than ever. The union members at the Idaho Statesman, The Tacoma News Tribune, Tri-City Herald, The Olympian and Bellingham Herald are fighting to protect local journalism from an out-of-state corporation.

Owned by a New Jersey hedge fund, McClatchy Media operates newspapers in 30 markets with 65 million monthly readers and boasts more than 50 Pulitzer Prizes. But behind the company’s success are struggling employees.

Local reporters used to be able to buy a home, raise a family and save for retirement on their wages. Today, McClatchy reporters are struggling with the realization they must either give up those dreams or quit.

It’s become a vicious cycle: McClatchy hires reporters, the reporters gain experience, McClatchy refuses to recognize their skills and they reluctantly move on to higher-paying jobs.

Journalists aren’t the only ones who suffer. Building trust with sources takes years. Rapid turnover means that when officials hide corruption, we don’t have reporters with the community connections to uncover the truth. 

After more than eight months of contract negotiations, McClatchy still refuses to offer a wage floor above $48,000. More than 75% of current McClatchy journalists in Idaho and Washington make less than their area’s stable household wages determined by the United Way — the charitable organization on whose boards our CEO Tony Hunter has long served.

For most, there’s little chance of significant wage increases, no matter how many years worked, stories broken or awards won. Company leaders have demanded journalists write 20% more stories and produce 50% more videos this year, but only offered a 2% yearly raise. All while inflation has eroded almost 10% of our wages in the past three years.

Meanwhile, McClatchy corporate offices are on a spending spree, spending millions to acquire a chain of tabloids and an AI company.

“There’s always enough money for the latest shiny toy for McClatchy’s out-of-state executives,” said Michael Lycklama, chair of the Idaho News Guild. “Yet McClatchy cries poverty when it comes time to invest in newsrooms and the communities that rely on them.”

Local reporters are available in Washington and Idaho markets for interviews. Request an interview by emailing pnwnewsguildmcc@gmail.com.

All statements can be attributed to: The Idaho and Washington State News Guilds

McClatchy abandons common sense on AI

THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST  — Companies everywhere are rushing to join the AI bandwagon. But what happens when a respected media company is willing to abandon its journalism ethics along the way?

We, the union members of the Idaho Statesman, The Olympian, The Tacoma News Tribune, Tri-City Herald and Bellingham Herald, refuse to remain silent any longer about the unethical AI practices and plans of our employer, McClatchy Media. After more than six months of contract negotiations, McClatchy still refuses to agree to proposed common-sense AI protections.

McClatchy is pushing to set a new, dystopian standard for local news.

The company insists that it should have the ability to:

• Publish AI news stories and images without clearly labeling them as AI.

• Publish AI articles that weren’t reviewed by a human.

• Create AI impersonations of reporters for podcasts and videos without their consent — even if they quit or die.

• Publish deepfake images.

• Force reporters to use AI in their reporting.

• Publish AI content that breaks the company’s own ethical standards.

McClatchy Media operates newspapers in 30 markets with 65 million monthly readers and boasts more than 50 Pulitzer Prizes. Other McClatchy newsrooms facing a similar lack of AI protections include the Miami Herald, Kansas City Star, Sacramento Bee and Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

We’ve already begun to see the failings of the company’s AI push, from misinformation to outright errors. In one instance, an AI-generated article in the Idaho Statesman falsely stated that a brewery had closed. It wasn’t fixed until a reader contacted an editor.

“We are living in a time when it is more important than ever for people to have factual media sources they trust,” Eric Rosane, Tri-City Herald civic accountability reporter and Washington State NewsGuild Secretary, said. “McClatchy is trying to give that trust away and hopes no one will notice – or worse, care.”