With the close of the Rocky Mountain News last month, the Denver Newspaper Agency has announced planned staff cuts of around 200, reports The Associated Press.

The publishing agency was in charge of the non-editorial joint operation of both the Rocky Mountain News and The Denver Post since the two merged into a joint operating agreement in 2001. However the News closed its doors on February 27.

The 200 layoffs represent 17 percent of the payroll, leaving the Agency with 850 full-time staff. The first 40 affected employees were informed of the cuts on Friday, said agency spokesman Jim Nolan. The cuts affect all departments and both union and non-union staff, but the Post's newsroom was not impacted, according to the AP.

"We're not just ink on paper anymore. We are true info providers across many platforms. The new shape of our industry demands that we work leaner and smarter to serve our customers," Gerald Grilly, president and chief executive officer of Denver Newspaper Agency, told the AP.

Grilly said without the US$18 million in wage and benefit sacrifices negotiated with unions earlier in the year, staff cuts could have been more extensive. The Post also reached an agreement with its union for $2 million worth of concessions by its editorial staff.