National Geographic lays off 9% of its staff, including editorial positions
posted Wednesday, November 4, 2015 at 6:00 AM EST
National Geographic confirmed today that 180 employees are being laid off. This layoff amounts to 9% of the company's workforce. 21st Century Fox acquired a controlling stake in NatGeo less than two months ago for $725 million.
While details are scarce, former National Geographic photo editor Sherry L. Brukbacher confirmed via Twitter that she had been among those let go. This suggests that the cuts aren't limited just to ad sales, accounting and the like -- positions in which you would expect there to be some overlap with 21st Century Fox's own staff -- but instead reaches into the company's award-winning editorial department.
In an email to Photo District News, National Geographic's SVP of communications M.J. Jacobsen said that the National Geographic Society and National Geographic Channels are reorganizing for strategic reasons following the closing of 21st Century Fox's purchase of a controlling stake. It remains unclear what these layoffs mean for National Geographic moving forward, and whether or not it will impact the quality of the content that it publishes.
(Seen via Photo District News)