Time Inc lays off 250

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Time Inc. eliminated another 250 jobs today in its latest, largest and, perhaps, last round of cutbacks. The mid-level and junior-level workers shown the door almost all came from the business side of operations at a long list of titles.

"We do believe this is the vast majority of reductions for the foreseeable future," said Ali Zelenko, a Time Inc. spokeswoman. "As Time Inc. continues to evolve from a magazine publisher to a multiplatform media company, we're continuing to look at our cost base and how to run our business more efficiently and effectively. In doing so, unfortunately, we've had to eliminate a number of positions."

"But it's not just about cost cutting," Ms. Zelenko added. "We are allocating our assets and investing in areas of higher growth."

Under Chairman-CEO Ann S. Moore, Time Inc. has slashed staff since December, when the publisher eliminated about 105 jobs, including those belonging to some of the company's highest-ranking and longest-serving executives. In February, it cut another 100 or so positions, mostly from the editorial side.

While Time Inc.'s employee rolls remain huge -- about 12,000 people work there, down from 13,000 with the cutbacks and the sale of the book group -- the company is reallocating assets to promising areas like Web operations. But new positions will not make up for the jobs already subtracted. The company, for example, is only adding about 50 people to its Web operations this year.

Although the positions eliminated today affected most corners of the publishing side, it also included further reorganization of the public relations team. Positions were consolidated at the entertainment group, which includes People and Entertainment Weekly, and the women's lifestyle and luxury group, which includes Real Simple, In Style, Parenting and Essence.

 
 
Date Posted: 7 April 2006 Last Modified: 7 April 2006