Nearly 60 staffers to be laid off at Oprah Magazine

Oprah Winfrey said the magazine is 'evolving'

Nov 16, 2020

O, The Oprah Magazine is the latest publication to undergo layoffs in 2020.

The magazine recently announced it is undergoing a transition after over 20 years. Oprah Winfrey started the magazine in 2000 and says it is time for a change. 59 staffers will be laid off but it is unclear which staffers will be impacted per a filing with the New York State Labor Department, The Hill reported.

O “is evolving because after 20 years of covers I think it’s time,” said Winfrey over the summer.

Oprah thegrio.com — Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for GCAPP

She added, “I also think it’s a good thing because none of us were meant to stay the same. We evolve with the times.”

Over the summer, the company alerted staffers the print edition of the publication will come to an end. As reported by the theGrio, the company made a statement in July saying it is “extending its voice and vision.”

“As the brand celebrates twenty years of O, The Oprah Magazine, we’re thinking about what’s next, but again the partnership and the brand are not going away,” per the statement. “This is a natural next step for the brand, which has grown to an online audience of 8 million, extending its voice and vision with video and social content. We will continue to invest in this platform as the brand grows and evolves into one that is more digitally-centric.”

The layoffs will begin as soon as February.

“Supporting our colleagues through the peak of the pandemic by protecting jobs and enhancing benefits has been our priority,” a spokesperson for the magazine said. “As we embark on this new chapter and introduce a new model for this beloved brand, we must also make difficult decisions to position the business for growth, which we are doing with consideration and care.”

Meredith, home of magazines such as People and InStyle, also announced layoffs this year.

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