AOL to cut 500 jobs at Patch

AOL Inc. is eliminating about 500 positions at its struggling Patch local-news business, or close to half of the division’s more than 1,000 employees, according to a person with knowledge of the decision.About 350 people will lose their jobs today, and roughly 150 will be asked to stay for 60 more days as the company seeks partners for some of the 900 Patch sites, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the matter is confidential. Chief Executive Officer Tim Armstrong, who apologized this week for firing a staff member in front of colleagues, announced the job cuts this morning to Patch workers.Mr. Armstrong, who has said he aims to make Patch profitable by the end of the year, told the staff last week that 400 sites would close down or look for partners, such as other local-news publishers. Today, Mr. Armstrong told employees the company may shutter as many as 20% of the Patch sites, with another 20% destined for partnerships or consolidation, the person said.Patch, which covers school-board meetings, local businesses and other neighborhood stories, has been a costly part of AOL’s strategy to transform the dial-up provider into an advertising-driven content publisher. The company has spent more than $300 million developing the sites, which serve communities and neighborhoods across the country.“Patch’s strategy will be to focus resources against core sites and partner in sites that need additional resources,” AOL said today in an e-mailed statement. “The... Continue reading at 'Crains New York'

[ Crains New York | 2013-08-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Economist Group Cuts 90 Employees, Takes 1843 Mag Digital-Only

The Economist Group is laying off 90 employees, about 7% of its 1,300 total staffers, the company said Friday, citing the business impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The cuts primarily affected employees in events and client solutions roles, as well as TVC, the London-based content marketing... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2020-05-15 15:03:09 UTC ]
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Amazon to cut price of its ebooks to reflect removal of VAT

Chancellor drops 20% levy on online news subscriptions and books as industry strugglesAmazon has confirmed it will cut the price of its Kindle ebooks from Friday, after the government announced it would bring forward plans to stop charging VAT on online publications because of the pandemic.The... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-04-30 18:11:42 UTC ]
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My Job in 5: Jo Fenn

Jo Fenn is the HR Director of Imagine That Publishing and the star of this week's My Job in 5 Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-21 15:48:57 UTC ]
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Meredith Cuts Salaries, Expands Ad Guarantee to Make Up for Revenue Decline

Facing what it called "a significant decline in advertising revenues" as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Meredith Corp. says it's implementing sweeping pay cuts across 60% of its approximately 5,000 employees, suspending quarterly dividends and withdrawing the 2020 fiscal outlook it... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2020-04-20 17:45:12 UTC ]
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Bloomsbury to issue shares and cut costs, anticipating sales hit

Bloomsbury is issuing new shares and implementing a raft of cash-saving measures to counter the impact of recent retail closures on its business, which in a "prudent downside scenario" the company estimated could see print revenues fall as much as 75%.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-17 01:14:48 UTC ]
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Informa Cuts Executive Pay, Suspends Dividends and Issues New Equity

The world's largest exhibitions organizer, London-based Informa plc, outlined on Thursday morning a series of emergency actions it's taking to alleviate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its events business, which drives nearly two-thirds of the company's overall revenues. Noting that the... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2020-04-16 18:02:14 UTC ]
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My Job in 5: Federico Andornino

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[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-16 13:02:33 UTC ]
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My Job In 5: Peter Phillips

Peter Phillips is the CEO of Cambridge University Press and he's under our spotlight for this week's My Job in 5. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-15 23:05:38 UTC ]
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My Job in 5: Becca Harper-Day

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[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-15 19:31:48 UTC ]
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Amazon Cuts Affiliate Commission Fees for Certain Product Categories

Some publishers already reeling from lost revenue as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic are about to take another hit. Amazon says it will soon drastically reduce the commission rates of its affiliate marketing program—the cut of sales it rewards to participating websites that drive customers to... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2020-04-15 01:15:20 UTC ]
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Hearst Promises Journalists at Its Newspapers No Furloughs, No Pay Cuts

Bucking the newspaper industry trend, Hearst Corporation has told its newsrooms there will be no layoffs, no furloughs and no Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2020-04-09 14:52:48 UTC ]
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NEA Offering $75 Million to Nonprofits to Save Jobs

The National Endowment for the Arts is now taking applications for $75 million in grants to nonprofit arts organizations to combat job losses related to Covid-19. Grants are fixed at $50,000 for individual nonprofits. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-04-09 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Wiley Cuts Financial Forecast for Fiscal 2020

John Wiley & Sons estimated the coronavirus outbreak will drop revenues for the fiscal year ending April 30 by about $50 million from its previous expectations, president and CEO Brian Napack said. Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be $25 million lower than original forecasts. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-04-09 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Diamond Reveals New Payment Terms; Execs Take Pay Cut

Diamond Distributors founder Steve Geppi outlined the terms under which the distributor of comics, graphic novels, and prose books would resume payments to publishers and other vendors. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-04-07 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Bustle Digital Group Lays Off Staff of The Outline as Part of Broader Cuts

Bustle Digital Group, owner of a portfolio of digital media properties including Bustle itself, says it laid off two dozen Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2020-04-03 21:34:37 UTC ]
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Friend of booksellers James Patterson will donate $500,000 to indie bookstores.

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[ Literrary Hub | 2020-04-03 14:23:07 UTC ]
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Coronavirus Concerns Prompt Cost Cuts

The steady erosion of book sales is impacting all parts of publishing as the Covid-19 pandemic tightens its grip of the U.S. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-04-03 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Springer Nature makes 500 textbooks available for free to support higher education

Springer Nature is making a range of "key" textbooks freely accessible for educators, students and academics affected by coronavirus lockdown to help support higher education institutions around the world. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-03 00:06:30 UTC ]
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Half Price Books Cuts Workforce By More Than 2,000

Half Price Books has laid off or furloughed 2,146 people, representing 78% of its workforce of 2,752. The company operates 126 stores in 17 states, all of which are closed. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-04-02 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Macmillan Lays Off Some Staff, Temporarily Cuts Some Salaries

Macmillan Publishers has laid off an undisclosed number of employees across all divisions, temporarily reduced pay for select employees, and implemented a hiring freeze, effective today. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-04-02 04:00:00 UTC ]
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