The Bay Area News Group newspaper publisher, controlled by MediaNews Group Inc. is cutting jobs at newspapers including the Contra Costa Times and the Oakland Tribune, in a sweeping cost-cutting measure includes offering buyouts to almost all of the group's 1,100 employees.

San Francisco-based Bay Area News Group will not disclose how many jobs will end up being cut, or how many it intends to save, The Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.

Employees have until March 3 to file for a buyout, and will be notified of the company's decision soon after, John Armstrong, publisher of the company's East Bay newspapers, told The Times. He also said he will fire employees if not enough take buyouts.

Bay Area News Group's revenues have sunk along with a slump in the real estate market, lower retail advertising and advertisers lost to the Internet.

MediaNews, which owns and manages the Bay Area Newspaper Group, with investors Gannett Co. and privately held Stephens Media Group, is trying to cut costs across the company, which also includes the San Jose Mercury News. Other attempts to lower costs include limiting television listings, Armstrong told employees in a memo, according to The Times.