Industry Collapse, Now On Google

Via Kevin Allman, a blog called Graphic Designer has created an interactive Google Map called PaperCuts that painfully tracks layoffs in the newspaper industry.

It notes that 2,000 jobs were cut in the last seven months of 2007 and over 3,000 so far this year. The numbers don't seem to include alt weeklies which are contracting (or collapsing) as well, I assume because their layoffs wouldn't be reported given the small staff they have to begin with. I've noticed illustration budgets being hacked to the bone and in some cases virtually eliminated in an attempt to stave of death.