Employees at startup media outlet The Messenger learned about the organization’s shutdown from outside reports, based on a number of social media posts.
“I just got laid off. One would expect to learn this news from their employer but instead, @TheMessenger employees learned of it via @nytimes and @semafor — there is no severance. Healthcare will cease,” investigative reporter James LaPorta wrote on X, including that he needed to go clear out his desk.
I simply acquired laid off. One would anticipate to be taught this information from their employer however as a substitute, @TheMessenger workers discovered of it through @nytimes and @semafor – there is no such thing as a severance. Healthcare will stop. I’ve to go clear out my desk from the DC workplace.
— James LaPorta (@JimLaPorta) January 31, 2024
The New York Times and Semafor broke the information of The Messenger’s shutdown on Wednesday afternoon. The outlet solely started publishing on May 15, 2023.
“Finding out I’m out of a job through the New York Times is a new one, I gotta say,” science reporter Adam Kovac wrote. “Appreciate the gracious and dignified way upper management has handled making the announcement. JK, they haven’t said a word to us.”
The Messenger administration ultimately sent an email to employees notifying them of the shutdown. However, some staff stated they couldn’t even access it as a result of that they had been lower off from inside communications.
“All I know is that if I were to launch a media startup, I’d be sure to rent an entire floor of a downtown Manhattan skyscraper that was 9/10ths empty all day … and then fail to tell my employees they were laid off until they read about it in the New York Times,” film critic Jordan Hoffman wrote.
The Times reported that The Messenger burned by its $50 million preliminary funding spherical and had solely $1.8 million money available on the finish of 2023. Site founder Jimmy Finkelstein had pitched the location as a nonpartisan information supply, and The Messenger employed gifted journalists from throughout the business.
Learning that I’m dropping my job through Twitter was not on my 2024 bingo card. https://t.co/aiXPkHvSdM
— Brinley Hineman (@brinleyhineman) January 31, 2024
Finkelstein made a last-ditch effort to boost extra money earlier this month, based on the Times. The outlet additionally tried to economize by reducing some employees earlier than Wednesday’s full shutdown.
“Learning that I’m losing my job via Twitter was not on my 2024 bingo card,” national reporter Brinley Hineman wrote.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”