How many news-editorial staff members does it take to produce a viable newspaper? In recent years, there has been enough variability in newspaper staffing to produce the opportunity for a natural experiment. In the late 1990s, earnings of newspaper companies soared, and staff sizes grew. Then a mild recession led to cutbacks that some feared would permanently damage their companies. Jay Harris, publisher of the San Jose Mercury, resigned over that issue. (1) In March 2002, Editor & Publisher reported that the end of the recession would not lead newspapers to return their staffing to previous levels. "Permanent fixed-cost reductions" would be the top priority as ...