KNOXVILLE (AP) — The KNS Media group, which includes the Knoxville News Sentinel, has laid off 33 employees.

The News Sentinel announced the layoffs in a story posted on its website on Tuesday, saying most were effective immediately (http://bit.ly/v3r9Pp ). The reductions included four newsroom employees.

The KNS Media Group includes the Shopper-News and MetroPulse weekly newspapers; the Greater Knoxville Business Journal, Home Market, skirt! and Auto Seller magazines; The Sports Page radio show; and commercial printing and distribution services.

Earlier this year, the company closed the Blount Today weekly newspaper and Knoxville magazine.

News Sentinel President and Publisher Patrick Birmingham attributed the layoffs to the economic challenges facing the newspaper industry.

But he said the paper "remains a strong and profitable business" and its audience is the largest it has ever been.