Medium Just Laid Off 50 Employees and Shut Down Offices in New York and D.C.

Medium founder and CEO Ev Williams disclosed today in a blog post that his four-and-a-half-year-old company is eliminating 50 jobs and shutting down offices in New York and Washington, D.C. In a philosophical letter to the public, he recounted how his team's ultimate goals had gotten off course thanks to the monetization model known as advertising.  "We set out to build a better publishing platform—one that allowed anyone to offer their stories and ideas to the world and that helped the great ones rise to the top," Williams wrote. "In 2016, we made big investments in teams and technology aimed at attracting and migrating commercial publishers to Medium. And in order to get these publishers paid, we built out and started selling our first ad products. This strategy worked in terms of driving growth, as well as improving the volume and consistency of great content." While it appears Medium is doing away with its sponsored posts ads product, he wrote that 2016 was his company's best year in terms of key metrics. For instance, published posts jumped roughly 300 percent year over year, and monthly visitors reportedly reached 60 million in December, representing a 140 percent year-over-year increase. Medium, a digital storytelling platform, has even attracted scores of public figures—most notably President Barack Obama—to get their messages out.  Meanwhile, publishers of all sizes have been able to try to make money off their Medium stories, which have been sponsored in... Continue reading at 'AdWeek'

[ AdWeek | 2017-01-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In London and New York, Authors’ Trade Groups Hail Amazon’s Change on Self-Service Ebook Returns

Amazon's change reportedly will prevent a self-service return of a Kindle ebook for a full refund if a consumer has read more than 10 percent of the text. The post In London and New York, Authors’ Trade Groups Hail Amazon’s Change on Self-Service Ebook Returns appeared first on Publishing... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-09-22 19:04:47 UTC ]
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Gibbs Smith Become 100% Employee-Owned

With the employee acquisition of the 50% stake in the publisher it did not already own, Gibbs Smith is now a 100% ESOP. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-09-13 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble Huge 50% Off Sale

The annual Barnes & Noble sale is underway and offering 50% off some of the most popular books this year. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-08-12 16:55:39 UTC ]
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Augusten Burroughs wants to help you process your trauma through writing (for $50,000).

If you have unprocessed trauma, $50,000, and a sense of adventure when it comes to your mental health, a new “wellness recovery program” created by Augusten Burroughs—author of the best-selling memoir Running With Scissors—may be right up your alley. The week-long program, called Focus-Directed... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-08-08 14:41:32 UTC ]
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Gilbert Cruz Named New York Times Books Editor

Mr. Cruz has been the Culture editor at The Times since January 2018, leading coverage of arts and culture. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-07-28 22:22:00 UTC ]
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The best Amazon Prime Day deals under $50

You're not wrong to look for big-ticket gadgets to go on sale during Amazon Prime Day. Plenty of popular devices are down to record-low prices, and you should grab them before their prices go back up after Prime Day ends. But maybe you're on the hunt for even more affordable things, or useful... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-07-12 19:10:48 UTC ]
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Marcus Rashford Book Club to give away 50,000 books this summer

Initiative led by the footballer will distribute copies of his own children’s adventure book to young readers with little access to readingFootballer Marcus Rashford’s debut children’s book will be given to 50,000 children this summer as part of an initiative by his book club.The Marcus... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-07-05 13:14:24 UTC ]
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A New York Library Bans Pride Displays and LGBTQ Kids’ Books, And Other Library Censorship Stories from Pride Month

Libraries from California to North Carolina to Utah to New York have seen their Pride displays challenged or removed this month. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-06-30 10:41:00 UTC ]
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The 25 Most Significant New York City Novels From the Last 100 Years

Four writers and one bookseller gathered over Zoom to make a list devoted to fiction in which the city is more than mere setting. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-06-22 09:08:54 UTC ]
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In England, Costa Book Awards Is Closing After 50 Years

Taking many in the British publishing community by surprise, Costa Book Awards is discontinuing its long-running program. The post In England, Costa Book Awards Is Closing After 50 Years appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-06-10 19:12:26 UTC ]
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Costa book awards scrapped suddenly after 50 years

Coffee company announces ‘difficult decision’ to end the prizes, sparking a chorus of disappointment across the books industryThe Costa book awards, after running for half a century, have been abruptly scrapped. The coffee shop chain has said the 2021 awards, which were announced in February... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-06-10 13:00:18 UTC ]
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After 50 years, the Costa Book Awards are over.

The Costa Book Awards, which was founded in 1971 and known as the Whitbread Book Awards until 2005, is no more. Today, Costa Coffee announced that the 2021 Costa Book Awards, held in February 2022, would be the last iteration of the prizes. “We are incredibly proud to have played a part in... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-06-10 12:34:21 UTC ]
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The New York Public Library is giving 500,000 free books (for keeps!) to kids and families.

We’ve said it many, many times before and we’ll say it many, many times again: libraries represent the best of America. Today’s entry: the New York Public Library will give away 500,000 books this summer to help kids, teens, and families build their at-home libraries. In addition to English,... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-06-09 14:17:10 UTC ]
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Freelance Isn’t Free Act Passes in New York State

After being introduced as a bill back in February, the Freelance Isn't Free Act has been passed in New York State. The law is intended to establish and enhance the rights of freelance workers including authors, journalists, and other writers on contract. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-06-03 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey share their ‘Office’ memories

The self-proclaimed "Office BFFs" have a new book — and some thoughts on where Jim and Pam would be today. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2022-05-20 11:00:00 UTC ]
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The New York Public Library makes four banned books free nationwide on its e-reader app

The New York Public Library made four banned books available nationwide on SimplyE, its free-reader app. The titles include Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender, Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi and Catcher in the... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-04-13 23:48:05 UTC ]
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Amy Winehouse’s library will be on display at the New York Antiquarian Book Fair.

Amy Winehouse was an avowed bookstore browser and book-lover—in a 2007 interview, she told The Guardian that she never traveled without a good book. “I read a lot when I’m travelling and always have a couple of books on the go.” If you’re interested in perusing the late singers collection, you... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-04-13 19:15:56 UTC ]
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New York City Libraries End Late Fees, and the Treasures Roll In

The decision in New York City set off a wave of returns, accompanied by bashful notes of apology and gratitude. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-03-31 14:46:31 UTC ]
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Toy Fair New York Makes a Move to Fall

The Toy Association, the trade group serving the $32.6 billion toy industry, has announced that Toy Fair New York will return after its Covid hiatus, but not until September 2023. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-03-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hachette Book Group Plans Return to Offices Starting in Late April

Hachette Book Group employees will begin their return to working from company offices this April, CEO Michael Pietsch has announced to staff. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-03-16 04:00:00 UTC ]
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