Butte, Mont.
Owner: Lee Enterprises
Effective: Jan. 27, 2009

2 full-time and 4 part-time employees were laid off. Customer service will be outsourced to a call center in Billings, Mont.
Source: The Montana Standard

Newspaper lays off 6

By The Montana Standard Staff – 01/27/2009

The Montana Standard announced Monday it has laid off two full-time and four part-time employees due to a consolidation of circulation customer services and the flagging economy.

The Standard will be partnering with the Helena Independent Record, Casper Star Tribune in Wyoming, the Missoulian and the Billings Gazette to open a centralized circulation customer service call center in Billings.

Circulation calls for missed papers and starts and stops of paper subscriptions and general customer service needs will be handled at the call center. The transition will take place over the next couple of months.

The Standard will maintain it’s customer service department for more pressing customer issues on the first floor of the newspaper offices, 25 W. Granite.

The Standard, as have many other newspapers across the state, is also facing a downturn in national advertising. That is forcing some of the layoffs as well. This is the second round of layoffs at the Standard. In September, six employees were laid off due to consolidation of work offices and the economy.

“The centralized circulation call center will be a benefit to customers and our staff as well, so that we can focus on critical issues customers may have,” said Publisher Janet Taylor.

“We remain committed to being the number one news sources for local news and sports and will continue to do that for our readers,” Taylor said.

The Standard and Bozeman Mini-Nickel employ 79 FTEs and has an annual payroll of $3.7 million.