Several Charleston area papers affected by company-wide furloughs (updated)

Image by Ken Hawkins/TheDigitelImage by 20090323-pandc.jpg Bruised, but not out.

Updated: March 23rd, 7 p.m.: We've just gotten word that the furlough does not affect those hired during 2009.

It's a move that has caused some griping as the policy effectively excludes only a chosen few (the paper just had a round of layoffs in February).

Included in that exemption is the somewhat controversial hire of ex-News 2 Anchor Warren Peper.

We know the vast majority of our readership won't care about this bit of inside politics, but given that The Post and Courier -- like most papers -- triumphs the cause of openness and transparency, we thought it important to share. Those slighted by the move cannot turn to The Post and Courier to have their cause heard.

It's a footnote in the argument for "who watches the watchdog."

Original post: Charleston's monolithic media outlet, The Post and Courier, will require its staff to take 5-day furloughs in the second quarter as part of a company-wide move.

The Post and Courier's parent company, Evening Post Publishing Co., also owns several other South Carolina papers, all of which are presumably effected by said company-wide move.

Those papers are:
- The Moultrie News
- The (James Island) Journal
- The Charleston Mercury Charleston
- The Summerville Journal-Scene
- The Berkeley Independent
- The Goose Creek Gazette
- The Georgetown Times
- The (Kingstree) News
- Aiken Standard
- Full list of media outlets owned by the privately-held company.

In related news, the McClatchy-owned Charlotte Observer today announced that it's cutting 15% of its staff and implementing pay cuts.

Dire times seem ahead for local media, that's why we're encouraging folks to do their own reporting on their community.

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