by David Walker

Widespread layoffs at the financially troubled Washington Times yesterday included AME for photography Janet Reeves and all nine of the paper's photographers, according to departing staff photographer Michael Connor. Only two photo editors, including Joe Eddins, were spared. The paper will presumably rely on the wire services for its photo report, Connor says. "And if they need anything special, there are nine more photographers in D.C. who are freelancing right now."

The paper's management announced layoffs in all departments at a staff-wide meeting yesterday afternoon. Connor says all employees were presented with an envelope containing a letter informing them whether they were staying or going. Management had notified the staff in early December of impending layoffs. What surprised photographers, Connor says, was that the layoffs wiped out the entire department. "Most thought we would go down to three or four or five photographers. Nobody thought it would go down to nothing."

Reeves, who was not immediately available for comment, had been on the job only since September. She came from the now-defunct Rocky Mountain News, where she led the photo staff to Pulitzer Prizes in 2000, 2003 and 2006.

According to Connor, The Washington Times is required by layoff notification stipulations of federal law to pay all the terminated employees through February 2. In addition, he says, the paper offered severance to long-serving employees amounting to half a week's pay for each year of service beyond 16 years.