The second alt-weekly in as many days announced it was closing Wednesday, tweeting its abrupt demise. The staff of the (Knoxville, Tennessee) Metro Pulse were laid off by the Knoxville News Sentinel, which owns the alt-weekly:
Hey! We all just got laid off! We don’t exist anymore! Thanks, @knoxnews and @EWScrippsCo!
— Formerly Metro Pulse (@notmetropulse) October 15, 2014
Anyone wanna buy us?
— Formerly Metro Pulse (@notmetropulse) October 15, 2014
This is not a joke. This issue is apparently our last. We just found out. We’re all unemployed as of now.
— Formerly Metro Pulse (@notmetropulse) October 15, 2014
We also are losing access to all of our emails any second. So don’t email us.
— Formerly Metro Pulse (@notmetropulse) October 15, 2014
All told, about 23 staffers were cut in the News Sentinel layoffs, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel.
The paper also said goodbye to its readers on Facebook:
Yes, it’s true. We don’t exist anymore. We no longer have jobs either. This week’s issue will be our last. We love all you readers, sources, PR people, businesses who advertised with us, and everyone else in Knoxville more than words can express. We will miss you all. XOXO MP
Yesterday, The San Francisco Bay Guardian announced it was closing; it published its last issue today.