RI Media Companies Are Slashing: Projo, ABC6, RIPBS
GoLocalProv News Team
RI Media Companies Are Slashing: Projo, ABC6, RIPBS
Three decades ago, more than 500 worked in newsrooms across the state — now the number is about 125, including digital, TV, newspapers, and radio.
New staff reductions have hit the Providence Journal, RIPBS, and ABC6.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThis week, GoLocal first reported that ABC6 was being taken over by WJAR-10’s parent company, Sinclair Broadcasting Group.
With that change, meteorologist Kelly Bates and sports reporter Nick Coit were cut. Bates said in a social media post that other staffers were being let go, too.
Big TV Groups — Consolidation and Right Leaning
The ABC6 takeover then transforms the local new TV market into functionally, a two-conglomerate market. The CBS affiliate WPRI-12 and Fox affiliate WNAC-64 are both owned by Texas-based Nexstar.
Both conglomerates are right-leaning.
Nexstar's corporate PAC contributions have leaned toward Republicans. In the 2023–2024 election cycle, the PAC directed about 54.7% of its contributions to Republicans and 45.3% to Democrats.
As GoLocal unveiled in 2018, Nexstar has been pumping donations into Republican campaigns for years.
Nexstar’s CEO Perry Sook has praised the Trump administration’s deregulatory approach. “The initiatives being pursued by the Trump administration offer local broadcasters the opportunity to expand reach, level the playing field, and compete more effectively with the Big Tech and legacy Big Media companies that have unchecked reach and vast financial resources,” as quoted in the Independent in August of 2025.
And, Sinclair — the Maryland-based corporation has well-documented pro-Trump ties and has pushed conservative content in news segments.
WJAR was one of the stations that participated in a company-wide broadcast that was labeled pro-Trump.
Media experts across the country voiced horror about WJAR’s parent company — Sinclair Broadcasting — having its news anchors and reporters across the country voice over a corporate message that sounds much like language often used by President Donald Trump.
Projo Loses 3 to Buyouts
The Providence Journal, which is owned by Gannett, the largest newspaper publisher in the United States, announced voluntary buyouts for employees in July 2025 as part of a $100 million cost reduction program targeting companywide operational efficiencies and adaptation to static revenue trends.
This past week it was announced that three Providence Journal veterans have taken the buyouts — reporter Tom Mooney, photographer Kris Craig, and editor Mark Castonguay.
This is just the latest in the near-endless cutting to the Providence Journal newsroom — one which once featured more than 300 and now employs less than two dozen. The printing press was closed and the operations were shifted to New Jersey.
The Providence Journal’s print circulation has declined to 16,000 on Mondays through Saturdays. The Sunday paper is just above 20,000 copies.
RIPBS Cuts
As GoLocal reported three weeks ago, Pamela Johnston, CEO of the local public broadcasting company RIPBS, announced staff buyouts, and if not enough staffers exit, then layoffs will hit.
At the same time, the company is sitting on a record $119 million in assets, according to the most recent audit of the station.
Rhode Island PBS' bank account exploded when it participated in an FCC auction, and it received $94.4 million for moving its broadcast signal to a lower frequency. The year before the windfall, the company’s net assets were just $1.4 million.
Why the slashing?
Despite the overflowing bank account, financial troubles are mounting.
There are a lot of reasons — big losses, loss of federal funds, little community support, and findings of violations of federal labor laws.
RIPBS lost approximately $6.3 million operationally in 2024. It is a remarkable amount considering the company’s total operational budget was just over $11 million.