Massive Layoffs at Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald: 28 Jobs Cut, Four Positions Frozen

The McClatchy newspaper chain has slashed over 30 newsroom positions at The Miami Herald as of Thursday, September 10, accounting for more than one-third of its editorial staff. Meanwhile, El Nuevo Herald's newsroom has been left nearly dismantled, according to The New York Times, which consulted five individuals directly informed about the cuts.

The Associated Press (AP) reported that a total of 32 positions were eliminated: 28 jobs have been cut, and four positions have been frozen. "The entire editorial staff of El Nuevo Herald, the Spanish-language publication, was included in the cuts," the report specified.

Among those affected in Miami are Deputy Sports Editor Andre Fernandez, Sports Columnist Michelle Kaufman, City Hall Reporter Tess Riski, and Photographer Alie Skowronski, along with writers from El Nuevo Herald, established in 1977 as the journalistic voice of South Florida's Hispanic community.

The Impact on Local Journalism

The Herald will be left without reporters dedicated to covering Miami and Miami Beach municipalities and without an exclusive political journalist. This is a concerning gap for those closely following local government coverage.

Greg Farmer, McClatchy's Executive Vice President of Local News, defended the decision in an internal email to the newsrooms: "We cannot continue to invest where subscriber interest does not support the investment."

Farmer noted a 41% decline in consumer revenue over five years while expenses remained steady.

Reactions from the Staff

Carol Marbin Miller, the Herald's Deputy Investigations Editor with 26 years at the paper, expressed her shock. "We are all stunned by the extent of the cuts. I've witnessed multiple rounds of layoffs. I can't recall a day when 30 positions vanished all at once," she told The New York Times.

Her warning was dire: "Miami is on the brink of becoming a news desert. Even if we survive these cuts, there won't be enough of us to cover even a fraction of what this market demands."

Marbin Miller emphasized the importance of the Herald's future, stating, "The future of journalism in Miami is crucial for our state's health. What good is government transparency without watchdogs peering into those dark corners?"

Historical Context and Broader Implications

Cuban-American journalist Wilfredo Cancio Isla, a former writer for El Nuevo Herald, shared his "deep professional heartbreak" on Facebook, labeling the layoffs as "the prelude to the demise for two journalistic operations."

Cancio Isla recalled a similarly traumatic rupture 20 years ago in the same newsroom when three journalists, including himself, were fired for receiving fees from Radio and TV Martí, a scandal that led to the resignation of The Miami Herald Media Co.'s then-CEO.

He detailed that 25 members of The Miami Herald's newsroom—about one-third of the staff—and seven writers from El Nuevo Herald, including distinguished figures like sports commentator Jorge Ebro, cultural writer Sarah Moreno, editor Daniel Shoer, and beloved translator Jorge Posada, were let go.

However, Nora Gámez, who covers Cuban affairs, and Antonio María Delgado, specializing in Venezuelan topics, retained their positions.

Tensions with McClatchy and the Rise of AI

The layoffs occur amidst escalating tensions between McClatchy and its journalists over the use of artificial intelligence. The company introduced a tool in 2026 designed to summarize and rewrite articles for different audiences, publishing them under the reporters' original bylines.

More than 65 unionized employees from The Miami Herald and The Bradenton Herald refused to have their names on those AI-generated contents, and in May, journalists from Washington and Idaho held a one-day strike demanding contractual protections.

The layoffs are part of a broader wave impacting at least 90 journalists across dozens of McClatchy publications nationwide.

In the Pacific Northwest, 17 journalists from The Bellingham Herald and The Idaho Statesman lost their jobs—about one-third of the unionized workers—while at Kentucky's The Lexington Herald-Leader, 13 out of 23 newsroom staffers were dismissed, according to Florida Politics.

McClatchy, which acquired the Herald in 2006, was bought in 2020 by hedge fund Chatham Asset Management after declaring bankruptcy. By the end of 2025, it had already closed its breaking news desk and Washington office.

According to a 2025 report from Northwestern University, nearly 40% of local newspapers in the United States have shut down over the past two decades.