Sun rallies

BALTIMORE -- Nearly 200 people gathered outside The Sun today to protest 100 job cuts at the company, a show of force that will not change the outcome of these sad events but that leaders hope will demonstrate to the community what it is losing.

Guild leader Tanika White held back tears as she told the assembled crowd of reporters, copy editors, designers, ad reps and commercial-side employees that the company was hurting not only us but itself by allowing so many talented and distinguished employees to walk out the door.

Wearing signs with messages like "The Baltimore Sun: 'Lite' for All," and "You Own This Place, Now Lay Yourselves off," the assembled group cheered on Ms. White and occasionally chanted, "Sam Zell, it's time to sell."

CWA and Guild leaders also spoke, telling the group that they stood behind both those leaving and those staying. And CWA President Bernie Lunzer reminded everyone that these cuts are taking place all over the newspaper industry, and that those who stay must fight on as best they can to keep the newspaper's quality intact.

M. William Salganik, a business reporter who was recently, as he put it, paid to leave, said he admired all of those who are staying to fight on.

"You're my heroes," he said.

It has been a trying couple of weeks at Baltimore's flagship newspaper, ever since the paper's new owner, Sam Zell, announced that the Tribune company would need to make deep cuts. The paper is seeking to cut about 55 positions from the newsroom. Dozens of Sun "content providers" -- reporters, editors, photographers -- have applied for the company's buyout, which is funded through the company's pension.

Sun employees are now awaiting word as to whether the company will also do layoffs in the newsroom and elsewhere to meet their cutting goals. In recent days, it has not been unusual to see grim faces, tears and general malaise in a newsroom that is generally collegial and good-natured.

Many Sun employees said they did not expect the protest to change management's mind about the cuts, but it still made them feel a bit better to unleash some of their anger and frustration. These employees believe that the paper is about to lose some of its most talented and experienced people, who are leaving "voluntarily" only because they fear what they will be asked to do if they stay.

Several reporters took the mike after Ms. White spoke to voice their frustration about the gutting of this great newsroom. Environmental reporter Tom Pelton, known for his incisive coverage of, among other things, the poultry industry, said he wanted "no part" of a newspaper that would rather show pictures of Miley Cyrus than tell readers about important global events.

Longtime education reporter Mike Bowler, who said he was a member of the newspaper Guild for every day of his 34 years here, also spoke. As he did, reporters from the Associated Press and the City Paper feverishly scribbled notes. At least one Sun reporter wished she had a notebook so as to provide a better account of events.

It remained unclear whether anyone was covering the story for the next day's newspaper, but several multi-media savvy Sun reporters were videotaping the protest and planning to put the story on their own blogs and Facebook pages.