Faced with falling classified and advertising revenues, the Rutland Herald, Barre-Montpelier Times Argus and the New England Business Journals announced Wednesday the publications laid off 14 employees throughout the family-owned communications company.

R. John Mitchell, president and publisher, said the media company had tried to avoid laying off staff, but like so many companies and other newspapers around the country, was forced to take serious steps to control spending to weather the recession.

"In spite of our best efforts to reduce costs over the past year, they are not nearly enough to offset the loss of advertising revenue," Mitchell said. "We were doing OK through October; November was not good; and the bottom fell out in December. And we are headed into the most difficult part of our year in the next three months."

The statewide media company employs a total of about 165 employees, produces two daily newspapers, three regional business journals, online options, and other special publications, including Prime Time and Her magazines.

Mitchell said he is confident the quality of the media products, including the Herald and Times Argus, will not suffer as a result of the layoffs.

"I continue to believe we have content that our customers want," Mitchell said.