Left Empty Handed, Ebony Magazine’s Online Editorial Staff Laid Off Without Any Compensation

The following is a statement from Laura Bassett regarding the reported layoffs at Ebony Magazine:

In light of the rise of newsroom layoffs, another revered publication – Ebony Magazine – reportedly dismissed its online editorial staff, the Root revealed. With limited incoming revenue, the magazine did not have the capacity to pay its digital employees while simultaneously keeping the magazine afloat. As a result, Ebony Magazine was left with little choice but to let the online staff go, with reportedly no paychecks or compensation in their hands.

This comes at a time when the monopolistic power of big tech companies has forced publishers to do the unthinkable and condense their staff. The existence of a fair and free journalism industry is being threatened and continues to harm journalists, publishers and consumers alike, especially minority communities.

Big Tech companies continue to dominate the digital ad market, draining publishers of their well-deserved revenue. Staffers such as the online editorial team at Ebony Magazine, as a result, fall under these unfortunate consequences and become just another statistic in the crippling news industry.