It's being reported in Variety today that Vice Media has announced layoffs of staff from various of their divisions. From Variety:
Vice Media's layoffs will result in fewer than 100 job eliminations, per a source familiar with the situation. Vice Media currently has a bit over 1,000 staffers worldwide; at one point, it counted about 3,000 employees https://t.co/bydOoZ3MDk via @variety
— Todd Spangler (@xpangler) November 9, 2023
Although 100 isn't a huge number the news sent ripples through the world of online media, as current employees informed the world that they were being let go.
After 7 years, my time at VICE has come to an end. I’ve given so much of myself to this job and from it I’ve produced pieces I am immensely proud of. But I’ve also come to deeply care for my teammates and colleagues. Walking away with their friendship helps to ease the blow. pic.twitter.com/cbsmM5yY0F
— Simone Perez (@simoneMperez) November 9, 2023
Here’s a tweet you hate to send. I was included in Vice’s latest layoff round today. I’ll still be on the public radio airwaves as soon as tomorrow… but definitely hit me up for your politics / democracy reporting/ trials / Congress / broadcasting / podcast needs!
— Todd Zwillich (@toddzwillich) November 9, 2023
Others lamented what they view as a cold and cynical decision that they feel puts profits over people... because of course that's how they're thinking of it. One such was the trade union that represents the workers at Vice Media. If a Union has ever acknowledged that they might have had a hand in bad times for their employers we don't recall it happening, so this is less than shocking. It's The Man, Man.
Our statement regarding today's layoffs at VICE pic.twitter.com/CJTtiYXJML
— VICE Union (@viceunion) November 9, 2023
The statement from the Union wasn't met with much support, however.
It is a good thing that there is no correlation whatsoever between unions and layoffs.
— P.D. Mus (@PDMus1) November 9, 2023
Otherwise one might have to wonder if the model makes any sense.
You went from award winning journalism that had the world captivated to leftists weird stuff that no one cared about. Do another show where LGBTQ whatever do weird arm spasms while walking down a runway. That’ll save you😹…idiots.
— Trig (@roguecatcop) November 9, 2023
My honest reaction to this information pic.twitter.com/aUOzacONyV
— Ethos (@projectethos5) November 9, 2023
Several Twitter users chimed in to explain to where Vice had gone wrong, although they didn't seem optimistic about the chances of the outfit being turned around anytime soon.
Vice hasn't been 'respected' since Shane stopped traveling to crazy places with a Sony Cybershot. They seemed to forget the brilliance of the early Vice was 'point a cam and shoot' and let a story tell itself. Turning into clickbait activism was what killed it. https://t.co/bmUsSR0GuK
— DontTreadOnMyVape (@DTOM_Vape) November 9, 2023
Maybe if u guys covered interesting exotic stories about Syrian motorcycle gangs going across the Silk Road to find the next Buddha
— Renaissance Revival Revitalization (@RenaisRomanus) November 9, 2023
Instead just woke issues and race baiting u wouldn’t be going out of business
there's lots of jobs out there which also involve writing on computers, except that instead of words in english/french/whatever, it's computer language. it's something you have to go to school to learn though
— Normie (@nssnmp5ffk) November 9, 2023
We're in love with this more complicated way of saying 'learn to code'. Well done!
Ultimately it sounds like this move will be noticeable for anyone who watched shows produced by Vice...
In a note to staff this morning, Vice said it will be "winding down" a number of shows that have "reached the end of their production cycle and have not been renewed."
— Max Tani (@maxwelltani) November 9, 2023
The company says it is restructuring its business "from five distinct lines of business into two." pic.twitter.com/tSMCGIHbKK
But at this point how many of those could there be? If they had any substantial number of viewers of their programs they probably wouldn't be in this pickle!
At the end of the day losing your job is always tough and we wouldn't wish it on anyone, but we can't say it's shocking that things weren't going great over at Vice. And as the man said, they can always learn to code!
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