Hearst Magazines, the writer of Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping and Esquire, has fired round 200 workers — most of whom work on the firm’s iconic headquarters in Midtown Manhattan.
The Writers Guild of America East (WGAE), the union which represents 1000’s of media professionals, instructed the information web site W42ST that the entire variety of layoffs amounted to 197 folks — 67 of whom had been members of the Hearst Union bargaining unit.
The union additionally instructed W42ST that “most affected workers are based at Hearst Tower” on eighth Avenue and 57th Avenue on Manhattan’s West Facet.
Hearst Tower, which rises almost 600 toes and 46 tales excessive, is a Norman Foster-designed triangular glass skyscraper recognized for its modern, environmentally pleasant structure.
The tower was constructed in 2006 atop the unique Hearst Journal Constructing, whose facade was designated as a metropolis landmark by the New York Metropolis Landmarks Preservation Fee in 1988.
Debi Chirichella, the president of the corporate, circulated a memo to workers asserting the layoffs final week.
“After a thorough review of our business, we’ve decided to reallocate resources to better support our goals and continue our focus on digital innovation while strengthening our best in class print products,” Chirichella wrote within the memo, which was reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
“We will scale back in areas that do not support our core strategy and will eliminate certain positions as we reimagine our team structures to drive long-term growth.”
Chirichella didn’t specify within the memo which departments and what number of workers could be affected.
“These changes will enable us to take care of our business for the long term,” she wrote.
“We’ll prioritize areas where we can deliver the highest impact and drive growth and continue to focus on producing the highest-quality storytelling, advertising solutions, and digital experiences.”
“Today, the consistently anti-union Hearst Magazines became the latest media company to enact needless, irresponsible and cruel layoffs of editorial employees,” WGAE govt director Sam Wheeler stated in a press release on Wednesday.
“Until Hearst and the rest of the media industry recognize that the workers are the most valuable part of their companies and brands, they will continue their race to the bottom with no one to blame but themselves,” he added.
The Put up has sought remark from Hearst.
The layoffs are the most recent signal of peril within the journal and publishing business. A yr in the past, Hearst rival Condé Nast introduced that it deliberate to chop 5% of its workforce — which quantities to round 270 workers — in a transfer that impacts publications together with Vogue, Self-importance Truthful and GQ.
In January, Time journal introduced it was reducing 15% of its editorial workers.
Forbes, Sports activities Illustrated, Vice Media and BuzzFeed have additionally lowered workers this yr because the business continues to be beset by declining advert income, shifts in reader habits and competitors from digital platforms.
