National Geographic Vanishing From Newsstands After Dismissing All Staff Writers
Photo 93112443 © Elnur | Dreamstime.com
The familiar yellow frame that has highlighted newsstands for years is going extinct, taking with it its current evolution of stories.
National Geographic magazine has been enriching the public with its extensive coverage of nature, anthropology, history, and science since 1888, illustrating its stories with rich photography of these less-explored parts of the world. Months from now, however, the publication will close a significant chapter and refocus its lens toward the digital sphere.
Nat Geo will leave newsstands beginning 2024, though special editions may still be sold on the traditional outposts.
The news, first shared internally and now confirmed with the Associated Press, comes on the heels of reportage about the Disney-owned media outlet laying off all its staff writers. All 19 remaining editorial members had been informed of their dismissals in April, per the Washington Post.
My new National Geographic just arrived, which includes my latest feature—my 16th, and my last as a senior writer.
— Craig Welch (@CraigAWelch) June 28, 2023
NatGeo is laying off all of its staff writers.
I’ve been so lucky. I got to work w/incredible journalists and tell important, global stories. It’s been an honor. pic.twitter.com/VOt6KydD5Z
Notably, the magazine’s existing 1.78 million subscribers will still receive hard copies in their mail every month.
This is the second time National Geographic has downsized in just nine months, says the Post. The last cutback took place in September, when Disney let go of six leading editors in a bid to reshuffle the magazine’s editorial processes.
It’s been an epic run, @NatGeo. My colleagues and I were unbelievably lucky to be the last-ever class of staff writers—certainly the coolest job I’ll ever have, and possibly among the coolest to ever exist. Now onto the next thing! Open to all weird/fun/interesting ideas. pic.twitter.com/aFNPRSDyt0
— Nina Strochlic (@NinaStrochlic) June 28, 2023
Moving forward, writing projects will be outsourced to freelancers or compiled by editors.
According to dismissed employees, Nat Geo has also trimmed down its availability of photo assignments that allowed photographers to spend months out in the wild to produce high-quality imagery. In addition, it has also cut its small audio department.
The reorganization comes after Disney CEO Bob Iger mapped out a US$5.5 billion plan to reduce costs across the conglomerate’s offerings, which have seen the removal of some 7,000 jobs so far.
With that, a Nat Geo representative stresses that the changes will not affect the company’s ability to perform, and that perceptions of a waning quality of storytelling would be misguided.
A spokesperson tells the Post that the reshuffling will, instead, give the publication “more flexibility to tell different stories” across its several channels.
[via Quartz, Associated Press, Washington Post, cover photo 93112443 © Elnur | Dreamstime.com]
