Õhtuleht journalists laid off

Estonian newspaper Õhtuleht has initiated a substantial round of layoffs, impacting several staff members. The cuts primarily affected employees whose responsibilities did not align with the publication's core focus areas: crime, entertainment, and celebrity news.

Among those dismissed was Vahur Koorits, who had been the newspaper's sole journalist dedicated to covering economic affairs. His termination on the last day of June marked the end of Õhtuleht's economic reporting staff.

The first indication of the impending layoffs came from Koorits himself, who posted on Facebook about being in job search mode. This post signaled to colleagues and the public that significant changes were underway at the publication.

The decision to reduce staff, particularly those outside the core beats of crime, entertainment, and celebrities, suggests a strategic shift in Õhtuleht's editorial priorities, aiming to concentrate resources on its most prominent content areas.