Virginia’s House Speaker calls for support of local journalism following Roanoke Times layoffs

Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates Eileen Filler-Corn voiced support for local journalism following the news of layoffs of nine reporters at the Roanoke Times newspaper publication.

Corn said budget cuts claimed the positions and noted the downsizing of newsrooms is a tremendous problem for the health of democracy. She also noted that fewer reporters at fewer local papers mean a less informed public and less accountability.

This was the second set of layoffs in two years by Lee Enterprises, the owners of the Times and the Bristol Herald Courier, who reduced their union-led workforce by 25 percent since last year, according to the Timesland News Guild.

(1/2) Yesterday nine reporters at the @roanoketimes were laid off as a result of budget cuts at the paper. The downsizing of local newsrooms is a tremendous problem for the health of our democracy.

— Eileen Filler-Corn (@EFillerCorn) April 13, 2021

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