PORTLAND (AP) – The publisher of the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram is eliminating 27 jobs in nearly every department, including its MaineToday.com division.

Publisher Charles S. Cochrane says the decision, which will result in 15 layoffs, was based on a weakening national economy and advertising. He says the newspapers will cut the percentage of the newspaper devoted to news and photographs and scale back on what he described as “supplemental” wire news services.

Newspapers nationwide have been cutting staff and trimming costs as they face a slowing economy and the loss of readers and advertising dollars to the Internet.

Cochrane says the job reductions include a mix of part- and full-time positions, but no reporters are being laid off to preserve news coverage.

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Information from: Portland Press Herald, https://www.pressherald.com

AP-ES-03-11-08 1856EDT