WSJ Fires Researchers

The Wall Street Journal has given notice to its in-house library/research staff that they are being let go.

From Editor and Publisher mag:

The library cutback is part of a 14-person newsroom job reduction announced last week by the Journal, which also includes news assistant Ed Ramos in the library. Norman and Ramos plan to remain on the job until at least March 23, the memo stated.

Asked to comment on the library closing and Norman’s memo, Journal Spokesman Robert Christie stated in an e-mail to EandP: “Yes, we are closing the library. It is regrettable. Our reporters do have access to multiple databases including Factiva and this migration to digital databases as you has been happening for many years.”

In other words, the Journal is saying that its journalists are now going to have to rely on the Internet for their fact checking. Sounds like even the voice of capitalism can’t handle the truth anymore.

The full article is here.