Cuts at The Atlantic Set Off Alarm Bells for the Industry

Even as layoffs, pay cuts and indefinite furloughs become an almost daily occurrence in the media industry, news about such developments grows no less tragic and alarming. Such was the case Thursday morning, when Atlantic Media chairman David Bradley revealed in a staff memo that, despite gaining 160,000 new subscribers since launching a metered paywall last September, 68 employees at The Atlantic would be informed by 11:00 a.m. that they'd lost their jobs. The cuts, which represent 17% of the magazine's approximately 400 staffers, were made necessary by a decline in advertising and "the overnight and near-complete undoing of in-person events," Bradley said, while noting that those let go include sales and events staffers, but also writers, editors and those in marketing. Advertising aside, the impact of a pause on in-person events on the magazine's top line was certainly significant. In a normal year, The Atlantic produces more than 100 live events, which reportedly account for up to a quarter of its annual revenues and likely a larger share of its margins. Formerly profitable, The Atlantic sank into the red last year, insiders told The Wall Street Journal, after embarking on an aggressive expansion that included hiring about 100 additional employees under new owner Laurene Powell Jobs, whose Emerson Collective acquired a majority stake in the magazine in July 2017, investing a reported $100 million. While providing 16 weeks of severance pay to dismissed staffers is... Continue reading at 'Folio Magazine'

[ Folio Magazine | 2020-05-21 16:30:08 UTC ]
News tagged with: #financially viable #full ownership #feel optimistic #monthly traffic #audience growth

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Self-Improvement Boom Sets Book Sales Off on Fast Start in 2021

More than 17.1 million print units were sold in the week ended January 9, 2021 at outlets that report to NPD BookScan, marking the first time in the history of the service that units topped the 17 million mark in the first week in January. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-01-14 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Bell and NLT invite kids to join letter writing project

Usborne author PG Bell, creator of the children’s book series The Train to Impossible Places, has partnered with the National Literacy Trust and The Postal Museum on a letter writing project inviting children to share their experiences of the pandemic with future generations.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-01-13 22:56:51 UTC ]
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Historian Beth Allison Barr: 'Jesus Sets Women Free'

Barr’s new book weaves history and personal experience to argue that the patriarchal concept “Biblical Womanhood” has left a trail of sin and destruction. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-01-13 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Industry leaders look at what lies ahead in 2021

Senior figures in the trade have said support for bookshops is a high priority in the coming year, while promising further steps to improve diversity across the industry. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-01-08 04:59:16 UTC ]
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Industry heads predict resurgence in 2021 and urge support for bookshops

Senior figures from across the publishing industry have shared their predictions for the year ahead with The Bookseller, with support for high-street retailers and further implementation of diversity practices cited as essential steps. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-01-07 21:52:12 UTC ]
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Industry Stock Prices Fell 4% in 2020

A second-half rally helped to limit the decline of the Publishers Weekly Stock Index to 4% in 2020, as four of the seven companies on the PWSI managed to post an increase in their stock prices compared to the beginning of the year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-01-05 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Read Harder: A Realistic YA Book Not Set in the U.S., UK, or Canada

We're recommending books for the Read Harder task asking you to read a realistic YA book not set in the U.S., UK, or Canada. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2021-01-04 11:31:00 UTC ]
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Donaldson set to light up Christmas 2021 with 'magical' picture book

A new Julia Donaldson picture book, The Christmas Pine, will be published by Alison Green Books in autumn 2021.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-12-18 03:31:45 UTC ]
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Frankfurt Book Fair cuts jobs in 'painful' restructure

Frankfurt Book Fair has completed its restructure and cut an undisclosed number of roles in what it has called a “painful and far-reaching” process. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-12-17 06:13:00 UTC ]
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Grove Atlantic Raises Entry-Level Pay, Forms Exec Committee

Grove Atlantic has created a six-person executive committee to help CEO Morgan Entrekin run the publisher and increased the entry-level salary to $40,000. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-12-15 05:00:00 UTC ]
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John le Carré didn’t just invent the characters in the foreground of the spy world. He designed the entire set.

His genius was that his re-imaginings of people and events have proved more memorable than the real things. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-12-14 10:02:24 UTC ]
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IAB Sets Virtual NewFronts 2021 Date, Extends Invitation to Linear TV

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has set its upcoming 2021 NewFronts to take place virtually during the week of May 3, 2021. The trade organization extended invitations to linear television broadcasters in addition to the digital media publishers, streamers and platforms that have long... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2020-12-10 10:00:00 UTC ]
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Library spending fell by £20m in 2019/20 amid warnings of further cuts

New figures show total spending on Great Britain's libraries fell by £20m in the last financial year, as Libraries Connected warned more budget reductions are on the way. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-12-04 10:12:19 UTC ]
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Green Book Supply Chain Alliance launches industry survey

The International Green Book Supply Chain Alliance has this week launched a global industry survey, to gather data about the publishing industry's environmental intiatives.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-12-03 20:48:23 UTC ]
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Zando Finds Its Head of Editorial in FSG's Emily Bell

FSG's Emily Bell will join Zando, the new independent publishing venture launched in October by Molly Stern, as head of editorial, effective January 4. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-12-01 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Bloomsbury spreads word with industry-exclusive proof for The Other Black Girl

Bloomsbury has launched its marketing and publicity campaign for Zakiya Dalila Harris' publishing-set novel, The Other Black Girl, with a proof going exclusively to industry professionals. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-12-01 04:30:21 UTC ]
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Atlantic lands Gavin Barwell's Downing Street insight

Atlantic Books is to publish Chief of Staff: My Time as the Prime Minister’s Right-Hand Man by Gavin Barwell next year. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-11-26 01:35:29 UTC ]
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Industry collaboration 'essential' for a sustainable future, FutureBook hears

Long-term industry-wide collaboration is "essential" for a greener future, but sustainable measures can be put in place now, delegates at The Bookseller's Futurebook conference have heard. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-11-20 04:39:13 UTC ]
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Industry Notes: Tom Weldon at FutureBook; Penguin Random House UK and India

Musing on books' resilience in the pandemic, Tom Weldon talks with Philip Jones; and Penguin Random House India partners with Pippa Rann. The post Industry Notes: Tom Weldon at FutureBook; Penguin Random House UK and India appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-11-19 18:15:54 UTC ]
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