Layoffs Come For Both Legacy And New Media Outlets
In a familiar but still depressing end of year rite of passage, media outlets are laying off staff.
Condé Nast, which owns a diverse portfolio of high-end publications, will lose 5% of its staff, or about 300 people, Variety reported. Vox Media, which owns The Verge and New York magazine, will cut 4% of jobs. At the beginning of the year, it laid off 7% of staffers, making 2023 a particularly brutal year for the company.
A spokesperson for Vox told Variety that the layoffs would be concentrated in a few areas – editorially, they’ll most impact Vox.com and animal-centric vertical The Dodo.
“This reflects continued turmoil in advertising and the need to build even more loyal audience relationships given the increasing volatility of search and social platforms, among other factors,” the spokesperson said.
It’s currently unclear exactly which segments of Condé Nast will be affected, though Puck media reporter Dylan Byers tweeted that The New Yorker and Vanity Fair will see cuts.
Why it matters
PR professionals and the media have a symbiotic relationship. While sometimes contentious, both professionals benefit from the other. And losing journalists is always a blow for those working to get earned media. On a personal level, many PR pros used to work in journalism, and it’s hard not to feel a twinge seeing that profession continue to shrink.
Strategically, it all underscores the need to expand our definition of “earned media.” The days of solely pitching to large, established companies for coverage are dwindling if they aren’t already gone.
By all means, keep pitching to Vox and Condé Nast media. But cast your net wider. Pitch to podcasts, to YouTubers, to LinkedIn personalities, to TikTokers, to trade media and blogs. Create your own brand journalism. Find your audience and develop new strategies.
Because unfortunately, the climate for earned media keeps getting more and more challenging.
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