Only 33 days ago, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) quit printing the newspaper.

Then on Feb. 3 at 6:01 p.m., AJC Publisher Andrew Morse sent a message to all employees saying that 15 percent of the workforce was being eliminated. People who would be losing their jobs would receive a call by 7 p.m. If they didn’t get a call, they were safe.

Morse, who has been publisher for the past three years, wrote employees that the cuts “will best position us to continue our growth.”

When Morse first was named publisher of the AJC, there were reports that parent company Cox Enterprises would be investing as much as $100 million to transform the news organization. Morse predicted that the changes would boost circulation to 500,000 digital and print subscribers in 2026.

The results appear to have fallen far short of that. An AJC story by business editor Scott Trubey, it stated that at the end of 2025 there were more than 100,000 digital subscribers and it had “far exceeded its goals” in retaining print subscribers as digital customers. Trubey also wrote that about 50 AJC employees would be losing their jobs with about half of the cuts coming from the newsroom. 

Hugo Rojo, an AJC spokesman, provided the following statement from Morse to SaportaReport:

“We’ve made these difficult decisions because we believe they will best position us to continue to accelerate our growth. We have invested heavily in our editorial, product and business teams over the last three years, and we’ve seen direct results from that investment. As we grow, we must be agile and ensure we are devoting resources where they will have the most impact for our audience. While these changes are difficult on a personal level, they will best position the AJC to continue delivering journalism worth paying for.”

Several people contacted Tuesday evening said the growth over the past three years has been incremental at best. There were new hires in digital and video production as well as bringing on correspondents throughout the state. The AJC also expanded access to readers across the state through digital access.

But there also had been layoffs of traditional news reporters who had been covering local governments. 

The AJC wouldn’t confirm who still had their jobs and who did not. A few journalists confirmed they were still employed, but SaportaReport decided not to publish those names until it had a more complete list.

Also, a couple of high profile moves – the hiring of Monica Kaufmann and Bill Nigut – were reversed, and both of them are no longer working at the AJC. 

In the message to employees, Morse called it “a difficult step as an organization.”

Morse went on to say:

“As we evolve, we need to be agile and focus resources where they will have the most impact for our audience. The changes to come will be difficult on a personal level but will best position us to support our journalism and business moving forward.”

He went on to say the AJC’s high profile new offices in Midtown would be closed on Wednesday for the day and that there would be a virtual Town Hall on Thursday that would last 30 minutes with follow-up meetings.

“This is difficult news for all of us. We will be saying goodbye to colleagues who have given so much of themselves to the AJC. We are grateful for all they have contributed.”

Local newspapers and news organizations across the country have been facing similar difficulties. Some have cut back the number of days they print a newspaper; some have discontinued print altogether; and others have announced plans to cease operations altogether. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which began publishing in 1786, recently said it would cease all its operations on May 3, 2026.

Note to readers: As a 27-year employee of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution from 1981 to 2008, it breaks my heart to see these job cuts. We’re in a precarious time when we need more journalists, not fewer. It is my sincere hope the AJC will be able to bounce back and continue its critical role of informing its readers in Atlanta and beyond about news, events and analysis locally and nationally – Maria Saporta

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