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BuzzFeed announced dozens of layoffs for the HuffPost newsroom on Tuesday, just three weeks after acquiring the digital media property from Verizon Media in February.
In November, Verizon Media announced news of the deal, stating that BuzzFeed and HuffPost would operate as “separate, distinct news organizations” within their own sites while BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti would run the new joint company.
“For several years, I spent my every waking moment on HuffPost and how to grow it and how to turn it into a leading media brand on the internet,” Peretti said in an interview. “So I have a deep connection to that brand because of the history. But this is not about nostalgia for me, it’s about the future, the brand, and the audience.”
On Tuesday, Peretti told staffers during an all-hands meeting that U.S. 47 employees would be laid off in order to “fast-track the path to profitability” for HuffPost, as the website’s losses topped $20 million last year.
Reporting on the news, Defector’s Laura Wagner revealed that Peretti told staffers that if they “don’t receive an email” by 1:00 p.m. ET, their jobs would be safe. Wagner also revealed that, according to an attendee of the meeting, the password to join was, “spr!ngisH3r3.”
Another cost-cutting move includes completely shutting down HuffPost Canada. Samantha Beattie, a senior reporter for the site, took to Twitter on Tuesday to claim she had no warning regarding the closure of the site.
I will be publishing my story I was writing this week about climate change… somehow. Maybe on a blog?
— Samantha Beattie (@Samantha_KB) March 9, 2021
According to a Huffpost report on the matter, Hillary Frey, the executive editor, and Louise Roug, the executive editor for international, will be departing due to the restructuring.
Several former Huffpost reporters also took to Twitter on Tuesday to announce the loss of their jobs:
Today I got laid off at HuffPost, after a decade of work I am so incredibly proud of. I am one of 47 of my deeply, beautifully, funny and talented and wonderful and kind colleagues who lost their jobs today.
I’m the most sad that we can’t all hug each other. (Also… hire me?)
— Emma Gray (@emmaladyrose) March 9, 2021
well! just found out that after ten years at huffpost, i’m being laid off.
— Claire Fallon (@ClaireEFallon) March 9, 2021
My last day at HuffPost will be March 15, alongside some wonderful colleagues and friends. It’s been a great 9+ years. I’m proud of all the work we did. If you known of any good opportunities, my DMs are open. https://t.co/cI5jnbgMQ6
— Emily Peck (@EmilyRPeck) March 9, 2021
My heart hurts.
— Jenna Amatulli (@ohheyjenna) March 9, 2021
Welp. After eight years at HuffPost, I’ve been laid off.
— Matt Jacobs (@tarantallegra) March 9, 2021
I was just laid off from HuffPost. It was a good run
— Samantha Storey (@samanthastorey) March 9, 2021
hello! I have been laid off from HuffPost, a place I have loved working for seven beautiful years. If anyone needs me I’ll be outside enjoying today’s 60 degree weather and then am available for hire
— Jamie Alyson Feldman (@RealGirlProject) March 9, 2021
For ~10 years, I’ve been trying to keep my colleagues on the strait & narrow. It’s been pretty easy, because they’re good folks.
At any rate, my run as standards guy is done.
My spreadsheet with all of yr errors may vanish, but I will never stop policing typos in yr twets pic.twitter.com/0NXipVRpjS
— Victor Brand (@recordedvoice) March 9, 2021
