Rob Chaney, journalist, author, Nieman Fellow. (Provided by Chaney and Facebook)
In a blow to journalism in Montana, Lee Enterprises laid off longtime journalist and former managing editor Rob Chaney of the Missoulian.
The layoff is another reduction in corporate journalism in Montana. It also represents a loss of institutional knowledge and journalism mentoring and leadership for Lee Enterprises.
Since June, Lee has lost at least 70 years of journalism experience in Montana by laying off Chaney and losing two other longtime journalists through voluntary departures.
In the last four years, Chaney served as managing editor at the Missoulian and statewide enterprise editor. He pulled in tens of thousands of dollars of grant support for multiple reporters’ projects.
“It has been a fantastic run,” Chaney said in a social media post Friday announcing the layoff. “And I have many miles to go. Hang tough.”
An internal email Friday from Steve Kiggins, director of Lee Enterprises’ Montana newsrooms, described the elimination of Chaney’s position as a “gut punch” and part of the 2024 fiscal year budget cuts.
In the email, Kiggins, also Missoulian editor, said Montana would not cut any other “people” in the state but did not specify whether any open jobs in the state would be eliminated.
“There are other job eliminations across the company,” said the email from Kiggins.
In spring 2023, Lee Enterprises cut at least 13 positions across Montana, according to earlier reporting from the Daily Montanan.
Kiggins could not be reached Friday in phone calls or by voicemail.
Lee Enterprises’ corporate office also could not be reached for additional information about the other cuts across the country referenced by Kiggins and impact on other newsrooms. Lee operates in 73 markets in 26 states.
In Montana, Lee Enterprises has five newsrooms and runs a state bureau.
Chaney, a native of Missoula, had 28 years with Lee, according to the Facebook post he wrote announcing he was laid off.
Dennis Swibold, retired journalism professor from the University of Montana, said layoffs have become part of the business cycle for newspapers. He said Chaney’s departure is both part of a trend in the industry and a loss for the Missoulian.
“He’s become a real voice for the Missoulian over a lot of years,” Swibold said.
Chaney is also a photographer, author of “The Grizzly in the Driveway,” and was named a Harry M. Davis Nieman Fellow in Science Journalism out of Harvard University in 2020.
Swibold noted Chaney helped build a community of journalists. He welcomed visiting journalists, such as those from other countries, into the Missoulian newsroom.
“It’s always discouraging to hear someone who has given so much gets laid off,” Swibold said. “But it’s unfortunately kind of an old story.”
People like Chaney are like “walking Rolodexes,” he said. They know so many people and interesting angles on local stories, and they know which stories have already been written and can recommend fresh angles.
“They’re just extremely valuable, and I find that institutional presence awfully important,” Swibold said. “And that’s one of the things I worry about in local news.”
He said the industry is facing so much pressure and so many changes, he is concerned newsrooms won’t have as many veterans such as Chaney, especially to help shepherd younger reporters.
Although the layoff is a loss, Swibold said Chaney himself will continue to be a voice: “I think he’ll find that he’s got lots of things to say, and he’ll find ways to say them. I hope he does. A lot of people will miss his voice.”
Lee Enterprises recently lost two other journalists with deep experience in Montana.
In June, veteran political and energy reporter Tom Lutey took a reporting position with the Montana Free Press after 16 years with Lee Enterprises.
This week, the Bozeman Chronicle announced Jeff Welsch would step in as its managing editor; Welsch, also an author, said he counted 26 years with Lee in three separate tours, including in Oregon and Montana, most recently a 10-year run.
Chaney traveled around the world, including to Nepal and Brazil, to illuminate connections between Montana and other countries for readers.
In more than 100 responses to his Facebook post, community members and journalists praised Chaney for his depth of reporting and mentorship. Many also criticized Lee Enterprises for its decision, although some said a poor decision from Lee is not a surprise.
“Losing that much historical context and knowledge is a really bad move for any news organization,” said one commenter to Chaney on social media.
One, Carleen Gonder, shared a letter to the editor she planned to write.
“I have been a Missoulian subscriber for many years, multiple decades,” Gonder said. “But now with the loss of Rob Chaney, I am canceling my subscription. This is a huge loss for the Missoulian of the best reporter you’ve had.”
Former Missoulian reporter and city editor Michael Moore weighed in on Chaney and Lee Enterprises.
“That’s outrageous, though not surprising,” Moore said. “You were a fabulous colleague and I’m sure you will be again! Lee Enterprises, of course, is NOT fabulous.”
Editor’s note: Prior to joining States Newsroom at the Daily Montanan, Keila Szpaller worked for Lee Enterprises at the Missoulian with Rob Chaney.
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