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

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Cuts at The Atlantic Set Off Alarm Bells for the Industry'


Panel Mania: The Talk by Darrin Bell

Darrin Bell’s new graphic memoir ‘The Talk’ is an absorbing, creative examination of the life of a biracial kid told with great honesty, emotional candor, and humor. A nine-page excerpt. The book is out now from Henry Holt. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-06-07 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #nine-page excerpt #henry holt #graphic memoir


Innovation Fuels the Thriving Audiobook Industry

Publishers are developing new strategies and leveraging existing strengths in the ever-evolving audiobook market. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-06-02 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #audiobook


The Morning After: Industry leaders say AI presents 'risk of extinction' on par with nuclear war

With the rise of AI language models and tools like ChatGPT and Bard, we've heard warnings from people involved, like Elon Musk, about the risks posed by AI. Now, a group of high-profile industry leaders has issued a one-sentence statement: “Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-05-31 11:15:45 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #science fiction


Illinois set to become first state to end book bans

Governor JB Pritzker expected to sign bill that would block state funding for public libraries and schools that ban booksGovernor JB Pritzker is expected to sign a bill that would make Illinois the first state to legislate to end book bans – by punishing publicly-funded institutions that attempt... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-05-30 10:00:33 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #state legislature #public schools #ban books #public libraries


Vice files for bankruptcy protection amid cut-price sale to consortium

Digital publisher and owner of Vice News and Vice TV was once valued at $6bn but has agreed sale for $225mVice, the once high-flying media startup that reached a peak valuation of nearly $6bn (£5bn), has filed for bankruptcy protection in the US as the digital publisher engineers a cut-price... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-05-15 09:23:50 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #vice news #vice tv #bankruptcy protection #$6bn 5bn #digital publisher


Publishing Industry Sales Inched Up in February

Gains in religious and higher educational publishing offset dips in the trade segments in February, resulting in a 0.2% sales gain for the 1,240 publishers that report sales to AAP's StatShot program. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-05-12 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #trade segments #report sales


‘There’s a lot of desperation’: Confessions of a PR industry veteran on PR’s ‘reputation problem’

PR pros say they're feeling the pressure of new client demands in a changing digital media landscape. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2023-05-10 04:01:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pr pros #reputation problem #client demands #digital media


‘There’s a lot of desperation’: Confessions of a PR industry veteran on PR’s ‘reputation problem’

PR pros say they're feeling the pressure of new client demands in a changing digital media landscape. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2023-05-10 04:01:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pr pros #reputation problem #client demands #digital media


Otto Penzler Sets Up Shop at ThrillerFest

The owner and operator of the Mysterious Bookshop in Lower Manhattan, the oldest bookstore in the U.S. specializing in mysteries and thrillers, said his duties running Mysterious Press don’t leave him with enough time to interact with customers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-05-05 04:00:00 UTC ]
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New Leaf Literary & Media Evolves Team to Meet Changing Industry Demands

The New York City-based literary agency announced three new director-level promotions among several new hires and staff changes across the agency. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-05-04 04:00:00 UTC ]
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At London Book Fair: Brexit and Creative Industry Funding

Describing an 'inward-looking atmosphere,' panelists at London Book Fair explored the funding impact of Brexit on the literature market. The post At London Book Fair: Brexit and Creative Industry Funding appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-04-26 13:37:28 UTC ]
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How the gun industry’s ‘quick and fearful’ reaction to Columbine foreshadowed its turn to extremism

In this excerpt from ‘Gunflight,’ Ryan Busse, a former firearms exec turned gun-safety activist, explores the industry’s response to America’s first high-profile school shooting, and the shift to today’s radicalized gun landscape. Ryan Busse is a former firearms executive who spent 25 years at... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2023-04-26 05:00:00 UTC ]
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BuzzFeed News to be shuttered in corporate cost cutting move

Pulitzer Prize winning digital media outlet BuzzFeed News is being shut down as part of a cost-cutting drive by its corporate parent that's shedding about 15% of its entire staff Continue reading at ABC News

[ ABC News | 2023-04-20 23:02:36 UTC ]
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UK publishing industry reports record-breaking year in 2022

There were 669m physical books sold in the UK last year, according to new figures from the Publishers AssociationThe UK publishing industry had a “record-breaking year” in 2022, with a total income of £6.9bn.A Year in Publishing, a look at the state of the book market by trade body the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-04-17 11:26:08 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #record-breaking year #trade body #publishers association #book market #books sold #publishing industry


20 Must-Read Indigenous Historical Fiction Books Set In North America

These compelling Indigenous historical fiction books cover hundreds of years and take place all across North America. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-04-11 10:36:00 UTC ]
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Charkin: ‘The Culture of Bloomsbury and Industry Progress’

The 'Miss Pergamon' contest, Bloomsbury, and 'the prominent roles taken by women' in publishing are on Richard Charkin's mind, in this exclusive pre-publication excerpt from his forthcoming memoir. The post Charkin: ‘The Culture of Bloomsbury and Industry Progress’ appeared first on Publishing... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-04-10 05:00:53 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #richard charkin #post charkin #prominent roles #forthcoming memoir #bloomsbury


Oxford Industries, Scholastic fall, Activision rises

Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Friday: Oxford Industries, Scholastic fall, Activision rises Continue reading at ABC News

[ ABC News | 2023-03-24 20:31:47 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #scholastic fall #traded heavily #substantial price #scholastic


4 Amazon privacy settings you should change right now

Like most big tech companies, Amazon collects large amounts of data on its users, in part of the purpose of targeting ads and training its Alexa voice models. Look in the right places, though, and much of this data collection can be minimized or prevented, and you can even opt out of... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2023-03-22 10:45:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #targeted ads #worth taking #voice recordings #voice commands #fire tablets #kindle e-readers #kindle


AAP StatShot: US Book Industry Gains 3.5 Percent in January

The first monthly StatShot report from the Association of American Publishers in 2023 shows trade revenues up 3.1 percent in January. The post AAP StatShot: US Book Industry Gains 3.5 Percent in January appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-03-21 18:18:29 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #aap statshot #american publishers #book industry


Publishers, Internet Archive Set for Key Hearing Today

After nearly three years of legal wrangling, a federal judge today will hear cross motions for summary judgment in a closely watched lawsuit challenging the legality of the Internet Archive's program to scan and lend print library books. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-03-20 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #legal wrangling #summary judgment #internet archive