I want to discuss these layoffs in journalism/media.
However, I wanted to present how I perceive the state of media, its present and future, as I think of four people.
Presently…
There’s a writer whose career is one of the reasons why I wanted to do journalism. Their career spanned years. I’ve seen them create work very few people can touch on a cultural level. Yet, they have the kind of writing that can make sense of subcultures and offer a lens of an intersectional perspective many (many x ∞) websites wish they had.
However, I saw this person, like so many others, was laid off from a major website. Again, an executive “had to” make cuts for finances. So I saw this individual, someone so very talented, be considered disposable.
They continue to write and do fantastic work as a freelancer. But, if a writer of marginalized identities with a wealth of experience isn’t “worth it,” are any of us? Unfortunately, that’s been answered repeatedly across many websites. They should be leading a website.
There’s someone else I think about during this state of media and journalism. A major website hasn’t hired them. Despite the fact they have a portfolio and experience that overly qualifies them.
