—Sun-Times Media Group: The Tribune Company’s Chicago rival is outsourcing its print and online classified ad sales to New York-based Classifieds Plus. The effort is part of a $50 million cost-cutting plan. The move follows a pilot program with Classifieds Plus and the Sun-Times News Group unit launched a pilot program with Classifieds Plus at its suburban Fox Valley Publications division last March. Release

—NYTCo: Florida’s Sarasota Herald-Tribune is laying off 33 staffers, two weeks after its parent, The New York Times Co (NYSE: NYT). posted an 11 percent revenue decline. Like many other Florida newspapers, the paper has been hit by the worsening economy in general and the state’s real estate downturn. Despite the NYT’s plan to layoff 100 employees this year, the NYTCo hasn’t had to issue any other reductions at its other papers so far, Diane McFarlin, the Herald-Tribune’s publisher told the AP.

—McClatchy: More signs of the times, as the Sacramento, CA-based publisher has reduced the estimated value of its investment in The Seattle Times Co. McClatchy’s (NYSE: MNI) 49.5 percent stake in The Times now has a carrying value of $9.9 million—a large drop from the $102.2 million pegged to the paper at the end of 2006. Back in December, McClatchy lowered the estimated value of the investment to $19.3 million. (BizJournals)

—Scripps: In its 10-Q, Scripps (NYSE: SSP) said it would take $874 million in impairment charges—$779 million in newspaper goodwill and $95 million associated with its Denver JOA and Colorado partnership. In an associated release, the company notes that with the charge, its loss for the quarter was $531 million.