BuzzFeed Layoffs Cut HuffPost National Desk to 3 Reporters

HuffPost's National desk has been downsized to a mere three reporters following BuzzFeed's recent wave of layoffs, according to the latest report. The cuts, part of a broader overhaul by BuzzFeed, saw the elimination of 10 HuffPost Union members, bringing the total down to 3. Jessica Schulberg, a reporter who had been with HuffPost for 11 years, announced her departure on X, expressing relief that the HuffPost Union managed to stave off cuts to severance and unused PTO payouts.

The desk had previously shrunk from 14 reporters to just seven just over a year ago. BuzzFeed's decision to cut approximately 180 positions, equating to 35% of its workforce, came after the company announced it would eliminate a total of 180 jobs across its three platforms. This move marks BuzzFeed's first significant restructuring since CEO Byron Allen took the reins.

The HuffPost Union, represented by the Writers Guild of America East, successfully resisted proposed cuts to severance and PTO payouts, ensuring affected members would still be compensated for unused time. Union members vowed to demand pay for non-union employees' accrued PTO. Schulberg, who covered the criminal legal system and was instrumental in securing clemency for Oklahoma death-row inmate Tremane Wood, expressed heartbreak and anger over these cuts, questioning BuzzFeed's financial standing and their willingness to engage in cost-saving discussions.