Essence Denies Toxic Workplace Allegations After Anonymous Call for Resignations

As it marks its 50th anniversary this month amid a multi-weekend, virtual edition of its annual music and culture festival, Essence finds itself on the defensive, refuting allegations of a toxic work environment rife with corporate bullying, intimidation and pay inequity made in an anonymous letter released Sunday, which called for the resignations of several of the magazine's executives. Purportedly written by current and/or former staffers who said they withheld their identities for fear of retaliation, the letter, titled "The Truth About Essence," accused CEO and owner Richelieu Dennis and other senior executives of fostering an "extremely unhealthy work culture" at the publication, which they said upheld a "longstanding pattern of gross mistreatment and abuse of its Black female employees," which make up over 80% of Essence's workforce. "The testimonies on Twitter and Instagram by a mighty chorus of brave Black women uncovered the racial bias and discrimination in America’s white-owned mass media organizations. This led to resignations followed by recent corporate promises to do better," the letter stated. "But Black women at Essence have been forced to remain silent. We fear cannibalizing the public narrative for Black Lives Matter and civil rights 2.0. We also fear losing our jobs or being banished from Black cultural spaces." The letter detailed a litany of alleged transgressions by management, including "tactical bullying" and "malignant and histrionic... Continue reading at 'Folio Magazine'

[ Folio Magazine | 2020-06-30 17:51:48 UTC ]
News tagged with: #cancel culture #sexual misconduct

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'This Very Cool Planet We Are Lucky to Call Home'

In her new book, adventurer, filmmaker, and environmental advocate Alison Teal combines a message of self-empowerment with a vital awareness of the climate crisis that is roiling the planet. PW recently caught up with teal to talk about her life of adventure and advocacy. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-04-28 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Weldon and Shelley join call for government action on creative industries

PRH UK c.e.o. Tom Weldon and Hachette UK c.e.o. David Shelley are among more than 400 leading names from the creative industries warning half the UK's creative businesses could be lost due to the coronavirus pandemic. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-27 00:49:47 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #hachette #coronavirus pandemic #david shelley #creative industries #government action #hachette uk #prh uk #tom weldon


IPA calls on global government stimulus to help book trade

The International Publishers Association (IPA) has called on world governments to help the global book trade using economic stimulus packages during the coronavirus pandemic. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-23 11:28:36 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #publishers association #book trade #coronavirus pandemic #ipa calls


Frankfurt Audio Puts Out 2020 Call; International Booker Postpones Naming Winner

Frankfurter Buchmesse opens Frankfurt Audio submissions and the UK's International Booker Prize postpones its winner announcement. The post Frankfurt Audio Puts Out 2020 Call; International Booker Postpones Naming Winner appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-04-20 15:35:08 UTC ]
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Coronavirus: IPA Again Calls on Egypt to Release Publisher Khaled Lotfy

As the COVID-19 impact intensifies in prisons, the International Publishers Association again appeals to Egypt for Khaled Lotfy's release. The post Coronavirus: IPA Again Calls on Egypt to Release Publisher Khaled Lotfy appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-04-17 15:59:41 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #publishers association #khaled lotfy #post coronavirus


Essence Cancels 2020 Festival Over Public Health Concerns

Essence has canceled its annual music and culture festival amid concerns about the spread of COVID-19, the magazine announced Wednesday, setting aside earlier plans to postpone the July 4th weekend event for the fall. Organizers initially announced on March 27 that alternate dates later in the... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2020-04-16 16:27:37 UTC ]
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Bluemoose's Duffy calls for industry fund to support indie presses

Bluemoose Books founder Kevin Duffy has called on the publishing industry to rally behind its smaller presses at this time of crisis and to establish a fund to help independent publishers survive what Duffy said had been a 90% reduction in revenue as a result of the lockdown. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-14 17:49:26 UTC ]
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Folio: Calls For Entries in Annual Eddie and Ozzie Awards; Entries Due May 15

NEW YORK—Folio:, the publishing industry’s go-to source for news, business intelligence and peer-to-peer networking, is pleased to open entries for the annual Folio: Eddie & Ozzie Awards. The prestigious awards program celebrates excellence in content and design across the entire publishing... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2020-04-07 00:10:07 UTC ]
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Events and Trade Show Organizers Call on Federal Government for Relief

Out of the carnage of the Great Recession a decade ago, face-to-face events emerged as an increasingly attractive revenue source for media companies, a lifeline connecting buyers to sellers that seemed largely immune to the migration from print to digital and in many cases poised to benefit... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2020-03-27 16:58:59 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #local governments #$10 million #resume operations


Indie Black Booksellers, Publishers Hold National Pandemic Conference Call

A coalition of African-American independent booksellers and publishers convened a national video conference call to survey the state of black books around the country in the wake of the new coronavirus pandemic. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-03-24 04:00:00 UTC ]
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English PEN calls for release of Ahdaf Soueif after coronavirus protest arrest

English PEN has called for the release of Egyptian author Ahdaf Soueif, who was arrested during a protest about the treatment of prisoners during the coronavirus outbreak. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-03-18 19:53:50 UTC ]
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Libraries Connected calls for 'clear decision' from government on library closures

Libraries Connected is calling on the government to issue "clear" guidance about closing libraries in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, highlighting "it is equally important that library staff are safeguarded during this period". Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-03-18 08:33:36 UTC ]
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Creative Industries Federation calls on government to help creative businesses survive

The UK's self-employed creative workforce will be "hit hard", according to the Creative Industries Federation, raising concerns the Chancellor's measures in response to the coronavirus outbreak "fall short of guaranteeing these workers’ income".  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-03-18 05:26:17 UTC ]
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Booksellers call for clarity from Johnson as coronavirus hits business

Booksellers have called for clarity from Boris Johnson’s government as measures to tackle the coronavirus outbreak hit the high street.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-03-17 08:20:02 UTC ]
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AT&T’s advertising unit chief resigns after joining company less than three years ago, report says

AT&T’s Brian Lesser, who heads up the company’s key advertising unit, Xandr, is leaving the company, according to a new report from Reuters. Lesser felt comfortable stepping down because Xandr is in a good position and its first quarter results are expected to show significant growth, the... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal

[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2020-03-11 18:26:08 UTC ]
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Ronan Farrow calls Hachette “wildy unprofessional” for acquiring Woody Allen’s book.

Yesterday, Grand Central Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, announced that they would be publishing Woody Allen’s memoir, Apropos of Nothing, a book we all once thought would never see the light of day, considering his history of sexual misconduct. The news, as we noted yesterday,... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-03-04 11:40:05 UTC ]
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Dylan Farrow calls Woody Allen's upcoming memoir 'deeply unsettling'

Dylan Farrow slammed Woody Allen's upcoming memoir, "Apropos of Nothing," calling it "deeply unsettling." She accused her adoptive father of sexual abuse in the 1990s. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2020-03-03 18:48:28 UTC ]
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Fresh call for Oxford dictionaries to change 'sexist' definitions

Open letter continues drive to remove ‘damaging everyday sexism’ in its entries, such as citing ‘bitch’ as a synonym for womanThe leaders of Women’s Aid and the Women’s Equality party are among the signatories to an open letter calling on Oxford University Press to change its dictionaries’... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-03-03 16:48:26 UTC ]
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London Book Fair 2020: London Calling

New programs and new opportunities await publishers at the 2020 London Book Fair Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-02-28 05:00:00 UTC ]
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CILIP delivers Downing Street petition calling for end to library austerity

Library and information association CILIP has delivered a 7,000 signature petition to Downing Street calling for an end to austerity in the service. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-02-28 04:01:09 UTC ]
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