NY Tabloid Doles Out Dozen-Plus Pink Slips

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Although the New York Daily News would not confirm the story, capitalnewyork.com reported today that as many as 15 staffers were laid off by the tabloid, including long-time gossip columnist Joanna Molloy.

The Daily News, the nation's fifth most widely read newspaper with a combined  average digital and print daily circulation of 516,165, reportedly told the terminated editorial staffers that the move was part of the paper's "restructuring" that will emphasize digital news, according to the capitalnewyork.com article.

Molloy teamed with husband George Rush to write the tabloid's popular Rush & Molloy gossip column for 15 years before Rush accepted a voluntary buyout from the daily in 2010. Others reportedly pink-slipped include columnist Albor Ruiz, reporters Robert Gearty and Christina Boyle and editorial writers Stephen McFarland and Alexander Nazaryan, who also worte the News' blog about books.