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I’ve got first word on names of today’s laid-off editorial staffers: Mike Jones, Anne Thompson, Alys Marshall, Phil Gallo, Andrew Barker, Byron Perry, Lisa Weinstein, Martha Hernandez, Diane Garrett, Ben Fritz and Jeff Sneider.
Variety finally wrote about the staff cuts this afternoon, confirming everything I’d posted about them:
“Due to the economic downturn, some 30 staffers will be trimmed by Reed Business in Los Angeles. The staff reductions span corporate, editorial, sales and other personnel. Among the businesses involved are Daily Variety, 411, Video Business and Trade Show Week.
Neil Stiles, president and publisher of Variety, said, “We continue to have confidence in the long-term growth of our businesses, but the economic realities of the moment call for a degree of belt-tightening.”
“The modest staff cuts will in no way compromise the editorial integrity of Variety or Daily Variety,” said editor-in-chief Peter Bart, who acknowledged that several of those cut were reporters and copy editors. “However, Neil and I deeply regret that any personnel had to be let go in these difficult times.”
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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I’ve been reading Deadline Hollywood long before comments were added. I hadn’t read them until now, when I felt the need to react.
I will agree that not covering new media is a step backwards for Variety — but by contrast, Paul Hyman used to write an excellent column for The Hollywood Reporter. And he knew what he was talking about.
I’m not sure why there would be blog posts slamming Mr. Fritz’s writing. People in the media don’t usually turn on each other, do they? There is a trade-press of the game industry, without axes to grind, but it’s slow and gentle.
The people who objected to the Fritz coverage were insiders and executives–the people working inside the business he covered. And it wasn’t like Nikki, where they can’t stand that she knows everything — with Fritz it was that he knew nothing. And the tone was always smug, all-knowing.
If you need examples, look at the coverage of Midway and Brash, the two that spring to mind.
when does bob butler get kicked out? is it when that sexist pig kicks the bucket??
“Sloppily written english-wise”: no more calls, ladies and gentlemen: the prize for unintended, self-deflating irony has been claimed.
Comment by Vic — January 26, 2009 @ 6:49 pm
Aw, Vic! You eat me to the punch!
What is variety other than a glorified venue for regurgitation of studio talking points and press releases? Print is dead, Variety is dead, good riddance.
Jeff M. – As an insider who has worked at Brash I can tell you Fritz’s coverage was dead-on so I don’t know what “industry” planet you’re living on.
After spending quite a it of time at gatherings and such…I have come to know Neil as a stand up, classy guy… my guess is in the times of the world we live in he didn’t have much of a choice…
Has anyone ever sat next to the not so nice Anne Thompson (it comes as no surprise)? Time to find yourself and learn to play nice…..
People celebrating others losing their jobs — ah, there really is a new spirit in America.
Nikki, to your comment about Variety “finally” writing a story about the layoffs: the story was posted on their website at 1:00. They did not begin officially telling individuals that they were laid off until sometime around noon, so how could they have posted any sooner? Stop with the bitchiness. They were not trying to hide anything.
I heard rumour that Bart shut down Variety Asia as well, is that true?
This is sad, but I wonder how these decisions were made. No one internally liked Anne Thompson and she barely produced any stories other than her lame blog; but that doesn’t explain why they kept Marc Graser, who covers nothing…and covers nothing well, but they get rid of Phil Gallo, a crank, but a veteran who covered music and edited. As an outside observer, I can’t make sense of who they kept and who they let go unless some were voluntary. And I agree with those criticizing Ben Fritz’s coverage, he had the stereotypical trade reporter curse: because you are so close to what you cover you think you know everything, when the reality is you know very little because you don’t take the time to learn it, you think access equals knowledge. He was lame…and smug.
Thanks Henry, I noticed that the attack on Dana was “Anonymous”. Sounds more like someone Dana didn’t write about who pitched her.
She always checked sources thoroughly before just sending a story in willy nilly.
Curt Johnson
I for one, am sorry to hear about anyone being let go, especially at a paper that seemed to be weathering the storm fairly well. I’ve worked (in some cases closely) with a few of the people on this list and it saddens me to see their, as well as anyone else’s names here. I wish them all the best of luck in this tough time.
Phil Gallo should have been canned long ago.
Arrogance and ignorance are not the mark of a good editor.
Feel sorry for him? Not a frigging chance.
There are several references to Anne Thompson not being ‘nice.” Can anyone elaborate? Her blogs are so benign, makes me think she is benign as well, but perhaps not..?
Anyone else notice how many of the people being cut were writing blogs for Variety? Thompson, Fritz, Gallo and Jones all had blogging gigs. Variety also a while back ditched the Stylephile and Bags and Boards blogs. Could this be a backlash against blogging? Or is it the opinion of Bart and Reed, that blogging isn’t “real work” and therefore shouldn’t be paid for?
Phil Gallo – BYE BYE arrogant schmuck.
I think it’s commendable that so many people are standing up for these supposedly wronged reporters and editors, but it’s not about personalities, no matter how much you want to kill yourself when dealing with Anne Thompson or Phil Gallo, it’s solely about bottom line. For instance, Ben Fritz covered games, see many video game ads in Variety? No. Phil Gallo covered music. See many music company ads? No. Anne and Mike Jones didn’t have compelling enough blogs — and little traffic — to warrant anyone to pay attention and advertise. Unfortunately, it was a cold, hard business decision.
Variety’s NEVER had much in the way of music ads — and Gallo had ample opportunity to improve that situation. Hiring worn-out IdentiKit reviewers like David Sprague certainly didn’t help. Maybe Gallo can latch on with somebody else covering the LA theater scene; no one wants him as a music writer.
How will Amobea Records stay in business without Phil Gallo returning promtional CDs and DVDs for cash?. I’m sure Mike Speier will make up the difference.
Senior management just turns a blind eye.
Thanks for the input, David Denby.
Always sorry when people lose jobs – I’ve been through that twice and it’s never fun. As for Mr. Gallo, I can only say that some of the above comments are completely alien to me – he’s one of the nicest, most culturally knowledgeable, most enthusiastic people I know.
No need to flame me, but I truly can’t understand the mean spiritedness of the remarks….
I cancelled my Variety subscription when it became a mishmash of anti-union/anti-labor diatribes and ads for moving production out of california. As an industry worker, I couldn’t justify paying the salaries of people who don’t thing my colleagues deserve jobs, decent pay, or any benefits.
Hey Henry,
This year for Valentine’s Day get Dana books on web production and ethics. The roses you leave on the desks of female employees… CREEPY!
Gutless Wonder.
Michelle Hiatt who is useless continues to be employed by Reed. Her along with Brian Magnotta should have been layed off a long time ago. They are both in the IT department for Reed Business Information.