Interview: Why Bay Area News Group is shrinking

By Ben Trefny

Published March 16, 2016 at 4:15 PM PDT

Bay Area journalism suffered a strong jolt, earlier this month. The Bay Area News Group has been an epicenter of local coverage for decades, publishing the San Jose Mercury News, the Oakland Tribune, and the Contra Costa Times, among others.

The company announced plans to consolidate its six papers into just two — “The East Bay Times” and “The Mercury News,” serving the South Bay. In the process, it’s cutting about 20 percent of its newsroom staff. The two new dailies will launch in less than a month.

Dan Smith is Vice President of Audience for Bay Area News Group. KALW’s Ben Trefny reached him in his office to talk further about the changes.

Crosscurrents

Ben Trefny

I joined KALW in 2004. As Executive News Editor and then News Director, I helped our news department win numerous regional and national awards for long- and short-form journalism. I've also helped create numerous training programs — for teenagers, incarcerated people, and early-career journalists — and have taught hundreds of audio producers. I served as interim Executive Director for nearly two years. My work is currently focused on creating original live events, programming, and building partnerships with like-minded organizations.

See stories by Ben Trefny