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Us Weekly, the celebrity magazine, is reportedly slashing nearly half of its workforce and closing its New York office, signaling a challenging period for the former tabloid giant amidst the ongoing struggles in the publishing industry.
On Monday, employees were informed of significant layoffs affecting nearly half of the magazine’s staff of over 50. According to the Status newsletter, management attributed these cuts to a disappointing first-quarter performance.
The layoffs have impacted several departments, including the complete social media team and the Spanish-language division, as reported by Status.
Additionally, owner McClatchy is closing the New York headquarters, transitioning the team to fully remote work starting May 1, as executives seek to stabilize the magazine’s operations, insiders revealed to the newsletter.
These drastic measures highlight a dramatic shift for a publication that once reigned supreme in supermarket checkout aisles with its vibrant celebrity gossip and eye-catching covers.
Founded in 1977, the magazine built its business on print circulation and ad dollars tied to its mass-market reach — a model that has since collapsed under the weight of digital disruption.
As audiences migrated to social media for real-time entertainment news, advertisers followed, draining revenue from legacy print outlets and leaving titles like Us Weekly struggling to adapt.
“The business is totally shot,” one former magazine editor told Status. “And there’s a lack of effort to adapt for the digital space in a relevant way.”
The layoffs come just months after Condé Nast rocked the industry with cost-cutting moves, including shutting down SELF as a standalone brand and trimming staff at Glamour and other titles.
Before closing SELF, Condé had already absorbed Teen Vogue into its flagship Vogue operation, resulting in widespread layoffs.
A handful of high-end titles — including The New Yorker, The Atlantic and WIRED — have managed to stay afloat by building subscription-driven businesses targeting affluent audiences, allowing them to invest in video, audio and other digital formats.
Us Weekly, by contrast, remains heavily reliant on advertising tied to a mass audience that has largely migrated online, leaving it chasing a shrinking pool of revenue.
The Post has sought comment from Us Weekly and McClatchy.