MediaMemo readers, my family and my conscience have been nagging me to write something upbeat once in a while–as opposed to the barrage of layoff stories and other grim posts I’ve been scribbling for the past couple months.

So, here you are: The lengthy layoffs at Time Warner’s (TWX) Time Inc. are over. Just about.

This information comes directly from Executive Vice President John Squires, who wasn’t planning on talking about layoffs when I saw him today–he had invited me and some other folks over to look at the company’s digital offerings–but was polite about it when I asked.

Here’s our conversation from this afternoon:

Me: So are the layoffs done?

Squires: [Pause] Yes. Pretty much. Anything else through the end of the year are outliers.

Me: So, if you work at Time Inc. and you still have a job, you’re safe through the end of the year?

Squires: Yes, you should be.”

Before anyone drowns in holiday cheer, a Time Inc. executive I double-checked with stressed that Squires had qualified his statement a couple different ways. Noted. But in late 2008, this qualifies as good news. So enjoy.

[Image Credit: Valleywag blogger Owen Thomas's champagne, via Brian Solis]