The far-left media outlet, The Messenger, is shutting down amid reports of massive downturns in readership as Americans dump liberal narratives.
The news comes as outlets like The New York, Los Angeles Times, Sports Illustrated, MSNBC, and CNN have all reported record downturns in viewership.
The Messenger’s 50 million launch just one year ago was accompanied by “lofty promises of building one of the nation’s largest newsrooms.”
While the outlet promised a “commitment to unbiased journalism,” it veered left, and its reporting was arguably biased.
#BoomBust: MainStream/Mass Media Fallout hits @TheMessenger – @MSN propagation couldn't save it's woke messaging from itself: "The Messenger to Close After Less Than a Year"https://t.co/4GrI7A31e4
— Outrage PNW (@OutragePNW) February 1, 2024
The company fired hundreds of employees, taking employees off guard, the Washington Post reported
CEO and founder of The Messenger, Jimmy Finkelstein, said in a memo to staff:
“Unfortunately, as a new company, we encountered even more significant challenges than others and could not survive those headwinds.”
The memo added:
“I am personally devastated to share that we have made the painfully hard decision to shut down The Messenger, effective immediately.”
“Over the past few weeks, literally until earlier today, we exhausted every option available and have endeavored to raise sufficient capital to reach profitability. Unfortunately, we have been unable to do so, which is why we haven’t shared the news with you until now.”
Staff at The Messenger reported that the memo was released on the platform’s internal Slack channel, causing “pandemonium.”
The New York Times reported that distraught employees reportedly “resorted to sharing pictures of their pets to lighten the mood.”
The Slack channel later blew with comments from concerned staff, as administrators abruptly shut down employee access.
The Messenger was launched just 11 months ago and employs 300 staff.
However, in recent months, reporters and writers complained after administrators encouraged them to create “clickbait” over “balanced” news stories.
“The Messenger’s collapse will go down as one of the greatest cautionary tales in the 21st-century digital media landscape,” Trending Politics noted.
The website only included the company’s logo with an accompanying email address.
Here are some other media outlets slashing staffers from the payroll – via USAToday:
LA Times
The cuts were necessary because “the paper could no longer lose between $30 million to $40 million a year” without gaining more readership through advertising and subscriptions, Times’ owner Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong said in a story about the layoffs from the newspaper.
“Today’s decision is painful for all, but it is imperative that we act urgently and take steps to build a sustainable and thriving paper for the next generation. We are committed to doing so,” Soon-Shiong said in the article.
Sports Illustrated layoffs
The Arena Group, which operates the Sports Illustrated brand and its related properties, announced on Jan. 19 it was laying off more than 100 employees as it was in “substantial debt and recently missed payments” and was moving toward a “streamlined business model.” The company also said Authentic Brands Group revoked its license to publish Sports Illustrated.
On Monday, The NewsGuild of New York and the Sports Illustrated Union announced they are taking legal action against The Arena Group after the massive layoffs.
The two union organizations accuse The Arena Group of terminating employees “because of their union activity.” The groups say every member of the Sports Illustrated Union was told it would be laid off, but supervisors and managers kept their employment. The unions also say while most employees were given 90 days notice of termination under New York State law, some employees were immediately laid off. As a result, The NewsGuild of New York filed an unfair labor practice charge against The Arena Group.
NBC News layoffs
NBC News laid off several dozen staffers at the beginning of the year.
A source familiar with the plans said that employees were given a 60-day notice and would get severance packages and outplacement.
The layoffs at NBC News, first reported by Puck News, were the latest in an onslaught of cuts made in the journalism industry throughout 2023, including by NBC News, which slashed 75 jobs this same time last year, according to a timeline provided by Forbes.
READ: Don Lemon Ditches Mainstream Media, Admits He Watches Conservative News
