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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Steam defined the modern video game industry

Gather ’round, children, and let me tell you a story about the old bugaboo we used to call DRM. Digital Rights Management was the beast under every gamer’s bed in the mid-2000s, an invisible bit of software baked into game discs that dictated and tracked player behavior under the guise of... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2024-03-04 16:30:21 UTC ]
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Whodunits Abroad: 8 Historical Mysteries Set Outside the U.S.

You get historical fiction and mystery plus some armchair travel — what's not to like? Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2024-02-27 11:30:00 UTC ]
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Comics Industry Unites Against Headwinds at ComicsPro 2024

Comics retailers, publishers, and distributors discussed a changing distribution landscape, a new metadata system for publishers and retailers, and more at the annual retailer meeting, held February 22–24. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-02-26 05:00:00 UTC ]
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London Book Fair 2024: Setting the Agenda

The London Book Fair embraces its new status as the first major publishing event of the year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-02-23 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishing Industry Sales Were Flat in November

Gains in both the children's/young adult books and religion categories were enough to offset declines in the other major segments in November at the 1,225 publishers that report sales to the AAP. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-02-06 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Two novelists have cut ties with PEN over its Mayim Bialik event and Gaza silence.

Two prominent novelists have broken with PEN America over the organization’s decision to platform controversial actor and outspoken ceasefire opponent Mayim Bialik, as well as its relative silence on the unfolding genocide in Gaza (which so far has claimed the lives of at least 120 writers,... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2024-01-31 20:56:06 UTC ]
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Must-Read Historical Fiction Set in Italy

The best historical fiction set in Italy, like these nine titles, explores the complex and even chaotic history of the country. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2024-01-18 11:31:00 UTC ]
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Inaugural Eleanor Roosevelt Banned Book Awards Set for Next Month

On February 17, the Eleanor Roosevelt Center and the Fisher Center at Bard College will host the first-ever Eleanor Roosevelt Banned Book Awards; in addition, Judy Blume will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Bravery in Literature. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-01-18 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon's Audible is laying off 5% of its workforce, marking another round of job cuts in tech

Amazon-owned online audiobook and podcast service Audible is laying off about 5% of its workforce Continue reading at ABC News

[ ABC News | 2024-01-11 22:47:05 UTC ]
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7 Books Set In Turkey

How many stories does it take to get to know a place?  Lifelong residents may write confidently of their homeland, but among the travelogs and novels and poems and memoirs that give shape to a city, I’m partial to books written from the perspective of those still calibrating their relationship... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2024-01-10 12:00:00 UTC ]
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At PRH, CEO Nihar Malaviya Sets Employee Priorities for 2024

Improving psychological safety, clarity around corporate strategy, and more attention on professional development are the three areas of focus Penguin Random House will prioritize over the two years, according to a memo from global CEO Nihar Malaviya. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-01-10 05:00:00 UTC ]
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AAP StatShot: US Industry Was Up 1.8 Percent in October

The AAP StatShot report for October shows US book publishing revenues at US$10.6 billion in the first 10 months of 2023. The post AAP StatShot: US Industry Was Up 1.8 Percent in October appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2024-01-09 20:42:57 UTC ]
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Publishing Industry Sales Rose 1.8% in October

Results were buoyed by strong sales in higher education course materials, which were up 17.9%, and at religious presses, which saw a 12.2% bump, in conjunction with a 1.5% increase in sales of adult books. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-01-09 05:00:00 UTC ]
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After Hearing, Court Set to Decide Fate of Iowa LGBTQ Book Banning Law

A federal judge is set to rule before the end of the year on two lawsuits seeking to block a controversial new Iowa law, SF 496, that would ban books with sexual content from Iowa classrooms and school libraries. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-12-22 05:00:00 UTC ]
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‘A bellwether for the industry’: why Warner-Paramount talk is no surprise

Investors seemed unimpressed but analysts say even talk of a merger reflects moves to consolidate in a tough market Barbie and Tom Cruise’s Top Gun are planning on getting hitched. Warner Bros Discovery, the Hollywood studio that brought us the Batman, Harry Potter and Barbie films, and... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-12-21 17:19:19 UTC ]
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20 Must-Read Historical Fiction Books Set in Korea

These books provide us with a deeper understanding of what Korea is beyond what we hear or see in popular culture. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-12-15 11:30:00 UTC ]
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Appeal of Texas Book Rating Law Set for Oral Argument Tomorrow

After weeks of anticipation, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit will finally hear oral argument in the state’s appeal of judge Alan D. Albright’s August 31 decision to enjoin key provisions of HB 900. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-11-28 05:00:00 UTC ]
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The PW Publishing Industry Salary Survey 2022

Our annual industry survey reveals a modest median pay increase and minor improvements in workforce diversity across trade book publishers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-11-17 05:00:00 UTC ]
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The PW Publishing Industry Salary Survey 2023

Our annual industry survey reveals a modest median pay increase and minor improvements in workforce diversity across trade book publishers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-11-17 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Column: She set out to build robots. She ended up exposing big tech

Joy Buolamwini, author of "Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What Is Human in a World of Machines," joins the L.A. Times Book Club on Nov. 14. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-11-03 00:31:12 UTC ]
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