The media landscape in the Queen City took another hit last week. McClatchy, the parent company of the Charlotte Observer and the Raleigh News and Observer, made cuts to its operation. In Charlotte, a quarter of the newsroom lost jobs. This comes after much of the newsroom had already been decimated after years of layoffs and change.
The layoffs weren't unique to Charlotte. McClatchy made cuts at 30 newspapers across the country. The layoffs were deep. At the Miami Herald, for example, more than 30 roles were cut.
As for Charlotte, this follows a trend that goes beyond McClatchy. Recently, newsrooms have shuttered. That includes Queen City Nerve and Charlotte Magazine. Even WFAE, with a different funding model, cut staff after the loss of federal funding in 2025.
On this next Charlotte Talks, we examine the state of local news in the city and across the county, examine what needs to change, what you can do about it, and what the future might hold.
GUESTS:
Greg Lacour, senior editor at WFAE and former editor-in-chief of Charlotte Magazine
Justin LaFrancois, former co- founder and publisher of Queen City Nerve
Rick Thames, retired executive editor of the Charlotte Observer and author of “Why Local News: A Memoir and Plea for an Endangered Form of Journalism”
