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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At IBPA PubU, Black Indie Publishers Call for Audacity and Advocacy

Founders of Third World Press, Black Classic Press, Africa World Press, and Just Us Books gathered for a May 6 keynote at IBPA's PubU. Plus, the IBPA announces its Innovative Voices Program. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-05-08 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Prince Harry does not blame queen for alleged deal with Murdoch press, court hears

Duke of Sussex has alleged royal family agreed not to sue newspaper publisher in return for an apology and settlementPrince Harry does not blame Queen Elizabeth II for backing an alleged secret phone-hacking deal between the royal family and Rupert Murdoch’s newspapers, the high court has... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-04-26 14:40:32 UTC ]
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Dawn Davis Resigns as Bon Appétit Editor to Rejoin Simon & Schuster

Ms. Davis, who took charge of the food magazine at a time of turmoil, will head the publishing imprint she founded. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2023-04-25 21:59:44 UTC ]
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Google calls for relaxing of Australia’s copyright laws so AI can mine websites for information

Tech company argues government should support artificial intelligence development while artists seek protectionsFollow our Australia news live blog for the latest updatesGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastGoogle and other tech giants have called on the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-04-19 04:40:32 UTC ]
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HBO Max will just be called 'Max' when it folds in Discovery+ on May 23rd

Soon, when you go to stream Succession or The Last of Us, you'll no longer be looking for an app called HBO Max. As has been rumored, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is changing the name of the streaming service to simply "Max." The company is folding content from Discovery+ into the platform to... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-04-12 17:16:11 UTC ]
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Shelved is being called Canada's Abbott Elementary. Its creator couldn't be happier

As a comedy about Canadian libraries Shelved is getting compared to Abbott Elementary, Superstore, Parks and Rec, and of course The Office. Its creator, and former writer for The Office, Anthony Q. Farrell is fine with that. Continue reading at CBC

[ CBC | 2023-03-27 08:00:00 UTC ]
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School Reports: Essence biggest faller among top 10 media shops in Nielsen table

WPP outfit merged with the UK's biggest media agency Mediacom earlier this year. Continue reading at Media Week

[ Media Week | 2023-03-26 21:50:25 UTC ]
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Meta's VR game publisher is now called 'Oculus Publishing'

Meta's publishing arm for virtual reality games is now officially called Oculus Publishing. It's a completely different division from Oculus Studios, which is the company's label for first-party games. Oculus Publishing will instead support partner developers with conceptualization, funding,... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-03-23 08:01:38 UTC ]
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Taoist rituals via video call and Tarot readings over WeChat: China’s spiritual market is going digital

Digital media is facilitating spiritual practices in China, leading to the emergence of new online cultures and businesses. Continue reading at The Conversation

[ The Conversation | 2023-03-21 02:59:12 UTC ]
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Authors Guild Says Alleged 'Predatory' Press Has Settled Suit Over Rights, Unpaid Royatlies

Filed on January 6, the complaint claimed that Authors’ Place Press and its owner, Tony Ferraro, had failed to fulfill their contractual obligations and to pay or properly account for royalties. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-02-05 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Madeline McIntosh, CEO of Penguin Random House, Resigns

The departure of Madeline McIntosh, who has led the country’s largest book publisher since 2018, is the latest shake-up for the company during a turbulent period. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2023-01-31 14:38:01 UTC ]
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When They Got the Call: PW Speaks with the 2023 Newbery, Caldecott, and Printz Winners

We spoke with the three big ALA Award winners about their initial reactions to the news. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-01-31 05:00:00 UTC ]
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CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY, Sexism, Ableism, and Me: What I Learned from Karen Cushman’s Novels

Historical fiction for young readers like CATHERINE CALLED BIRDY help readers discover the history of sexism, ableism, and more. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-01-27 11:34:00 UTC ]
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Media Agencies Call on Marketers to Change Their Digital Strategies

Most senior media agency professionals want their clients to invest in emerging media and explore new digital channels this year. With global advertising spend forecast to slow this year from record levels of spend and the rising cost of digital media spend, marketers will be scrutinizing where... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2023-01-11 13:54:14 UTC ]
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Authors Sue Alleged ‘Predatory’ Publisher Over Unpaid Royalties

Coordinated by the Authors Guild, the suit claims that Authors’ Place Press and its predecessor Motivational Press have failed to fulfill their contractual obligations and have refused to pay or properly account for royalties earned. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-01-10 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Did the heir physically attack the spare? That's what Prince Harry alleges in memoir

'It all happened so fast,' Prince Harry writes in an excerpt from his forthcoming memoir about a 2019 argument he allegedly had with Prince William. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-01-05 21:00:28 UTC ]
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Elizabeth Hurley denies rumor she took Prince Harry's virginity: 'Absolutely not'

Prince Harry reportedly says in his memoir that his first sexual encounter was with a 'beautiful older woman' many believe to be Elizabeth Hurley. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2022-12-18 18:56:06 UTC ]
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News Corp ends year on a low note as another senior figure investigated over alleged behaviour at staff drinks | The Weekly Beast

The Murdoch stable has let indiscretions slide in the past but there is less tolerance now. Plus: Nine returns to AAPJust as News Corp Australia was licking its wounds after terminating three big name journalists for allegedly behaving badly, another scandal has broken.The Australian’s... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-12-16 02:16:26 UTC ]
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Lachlan Murdoch alleges Crikey hired marketing firm to turn legal threat into subscription drive

News Corp co-chair’s lawyer tells federal court she intends to show Crikey did not republish article for public interest reasonsFollow our Australia news live blog for the latest updatesGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastCrikey hired a marketing company to... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-11-30 06:29:17 UTC ]
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Why Celeste Ng calls her new novel, 'Our Missing Hearts,' 'scarily real'

"Little Fires Everywhere" author Celeste Ng joins the L.A. Times Book Club Dec. 8 to discuss her latest bestseller, "Our Missing Hearts." Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2022-11-29 15:00:25 UTC ]
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