Belt-tightening Time   

Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News offer buyouts.

Rising newsprint costs and declining ad revenues cause jitters in Philadelphia, where the Inquirer and Daily News want 100 employees to accept buyout offers. With both circulation and profits declining at Philadelphia Newspapers Inc., the papers' parent, the publications may also reduce their page sizes and are looking at other cost-cutting measures. Voter guides, for instance, will not be published in a special supplement at the Inquirer, but will be incorporated into other sections. "We're not doing any kind of slash and burn," says Pamela Browner , PNI's vice president of business and community relations. "It's just the normal turn of business and keeping costs down." Employees were told by management that the papers are looking at workers throughout the company who are over 55 years old and have worked there at least 10 years. The offer includes 11 to 48 weeks of pay as well as five years of health benefits or $5,000 cash. Employees younger than 55 are also eligible if they have worked there for at least 12 years. They can receive 31 to 40 weeks of pay and one year of health benefits or $1,000 cash.