Northwest Arkansas Newspapers consolidates photography departments

Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC will combine the photography departments of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Northwest Arkansas edition and newspapers in the region operated by the parent company.

The Democrat-Gazette and Stephens entered into an operating alliance on Nov. 1, 2009, but the new company still isn’t profitable, said Jeff Jeffus, president of Northwest Arkansas Newspapers, in a memo to staff Friday.

“We didn’t anticipate the severity or duration of the economic recession we were in,” Jeffus wrote in the memo.

Five employees will be laid off as a result of combining the photo departments, Jeffus said. The combined department will have eight employees.

“It just didn’t make sense for us to continue duplication in some areas,” Jeffus said.

Northwest Arkansas Newspapers has 409 employees, including 304 that are full time, said Jeffus. The company also has 300 contracted newspaper carriers.

“While we continue to evaluate all areas for efficiency, the changes we are announcing today are limited to the photo staffs,” Jeffus wrote in the memo.

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