NEW YORK Looking to draw attention to the latest round of newspaper job cuts, members of the liberal advocacy group MoveOn.org showed up to Credit Suisse First Boston's annual Global Media Conference in New York today with what it said was 45,000 signatures on a petition protesting the Tribune Co.'s latest cost-cutting initiative.

Capitalizing on the convergence of media and Wall Street interests at the newspaper industry's annual event to sell themselves to investors, MoveOn.org's Adam Green and Noah T. Winer tried unsuccessfully to hand-deliver the box of petitions to Tribune executives.

Green told reporters that MoveOne.org is trying to raise the public's awareness of the extent of job cutting at newspapers around the country. To date, newspapers have trimmed more than 2,100 jobs from their payrolls, even though some, including Gannett, have ammassed record revenues. Tribune executives said today the company has cut its workforce by 4%, or 900 jobs, this year and plans a similar 4% cut in 2006.

Green admitted that he was making an example out of Tribune even though other companies had made similar cuts, but said he wanted to "draw a line in the sand because papers shouldn't sacrifice quality journalism, good reporters, or good editors."

In a prepared statement, Tribune responded to MoveOn's actions, saying other newspaper companies have announced job cuts, and that the company continues to invest "far more than anyone" in news coverage in the markets it serves. "Rather than focus on staff reductions, we would encourage you to focus on the full extent of our commitment to serve our communities exceptionally well," the statement said.

Although Green was denied entry into the conference room where Tribune CEO Dennis FitzSimons was giving a presentation to investors, Winer made it into the room and questioned FitzSimons about the job cuts during the question-and-answer part of the program.

Moderator Bill Drewry, an analyst with CSFB, cut Winer off. FitzSimons thanked Winer for his question, and Drewry asked for the microphone back.

People in the crowd, a room full of about 150 analysts and investors, appeared mildly amused by the exchange.