Chicago Reader Announces Layoffs Amid Financial Crisis

The Chicago Reader, facing an 'imminent risk of closure,' has laid off six non-union employees as part of an urgent cost-reduction strategy. This decision, announced by the Reader Institute for Community Journalism, follows the resignation of CEO Solomon Lieberman, who left after nearly two years of leadership. The publication has struggled financially since its sale by the Chicago Sun-Times in 2018, experiencing substantial losses and operational challenges. Despite these setbacks, Reader leadership, including new Publisher Amber Nettles, remains committed to preserving the paper's legacy and plans to enhance donor outreach and crowdfunding efforts. The Reader continues to distribute 60,000 free newspapers weekly while emphasizing its core mission of covering local arts and culture. With the layoffs, the Reader now has 34 staff members, including 20 unionized journalists.