If you were planning on moving to Columbus to work at the famous Columbus Dispatch in town, think again.

Columbus movers recently discovered that Mike Reed, CEO of Dispatch buyers New Media Investment Group Inc. briefed employees at the Columbus Dispatch earlier this month, on the potential cuts that they would be doing to jobs. Although it is not certain if or when there will be layoffs, the staff at the Columbus Dispatch should know in roughly six months (year’s end) whether or not they will occur and to what extent.

Reed’s meeting with staffers at the Dispatch lasted close to 45 minutes and, although he let staffers know what was up in the air, there were many questions surrounding the layoffs and what would happen to the newspaper as a result. It is also a deterrent for writers and reporters moving to Columbus, if local journalism is on the decline or there are not enough outlets and money to support the field.

Reed assured fellow staff that his company will aim to make cuts that will not have a large effect on the quality of journalism the Dispatch produces. According to sources, New Media and its subsidiary GateHouse Media are well-known for buying newspapers and then making job cuts, slimming down departments. The Columbus Dispatch will supposedly be undergoing staff evaluations immediately.

On a positive note, New Media likes the idea of Columbus Monthly and Capital Style magazine – the monthly publications that Reed told Columbus Dispatch employees could be replicated in other cities, creating jobs elsewhere, hopefully still moving new writers into the Columbus area.