The Baltimore Sun has announced that it has eliminated its features section.

In a statement to X, the Baltimore Sun Guild said, “Impacted by the cuts are features reporter Mike Klingaman, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, food and dining reporter Amanda Yeager, who consistently writes some of the Sun’s best-read stories, and Mary Carole McCauley, who has won 9 of her 10 national feature writing awards at the Sun. The Sun will continue to cover news developments in the arts and food industries, but not the features, exhibit advances and reviews that make up the soul of features reporting.”

The statement added, “These draconian measures are demoralizing, but they won’t deter the Baltimore Sun journalists. In the past two months, 8 union reporters have resigned – or more than a quarter of the news reporting staff. One was fired for speaking out, which the Guild has challenged. The Sun also laid off 3 union-represented advertising employees.”

This will be the first time that the paper does not have culture coverage since 1888. The section was important for the coverage of the Baltimore Symphony concerts.

The Baltimore Sun dissolved its features department Monday, reassigning its staff to news departments – the first time since at least 1888 the newspaper won’t have even one reporter dedicated to covering the city’s cultural life. pic.twitter.com/6WAmhFcqdH

— Baltimore Sun Guild ☀️ (@baltsunguild) October 28, 2024