The Associated Press to cut under 5% of global news staff

The Associated Press (AP) will cut under 5% of its global news staff, as part of a restructuring of its US operations, ​according to a memo sent to employees and seen by ‌Reuters.

The changes will be concentrated largely in the US news team, with a small number of positions in other US-based reporting units also being affected, the memo ​from AP Executive Editor Julie Pace said.

Pace said the move ​was aimed at better aligning AP’s newsroom operations with the ⁠needs of its largest customers, as shifts in audience behavior continue ​to reshape the media industry.

The restructuring comes amid a broader wave of ​layoffs across the global media industry as news organizations grapple with falling advertising revenue, declining traffic and shifts in how audiences consume news.

In February, the Washington Post began laying ​off roughly a third of its workforce, including hundreds of newsroom ​staff, as it scaled back coverage and restructured operations.

Other major outlets, including CNN, NBC News ‌and Business ⁠Insider, have also announced layoffs in the past year as they accelerate pivots toward digital-first and video-led strategies.

AP had laid off about 8% of its workforce in late 2024 in a similar push to modernize its ​operations and products.

While ​AP’s revenue has ⁠remained stable, Pace said the organization must continue to adapt as legacy print newspapers account for a shrinking ​share of its customer base.

Broadcasters, digital publishers and ​technology companies ⁠now generate the majority of AP’s revenue, reflecting wider changes in how news is distributed and consumed.

The news cooperative will first seek voluntary departures ⁠from employees ​covered by its collective bargaining agreement, and ​the cuts will not affect AP’s ability to provide news coverage across all 50 US ​states, Pace said.