Layoffs hit Eater and Thrillist

The union that represents writers for Eater, Thrillist, and other entities under the Vox Media brand announced Thursday that it was “blindsided” by layoffs and restructuring that affected many of its members. The company confirmed the layoffs to The Wrap, with CEO Jim Bankoff saying that the company was “implementing role eliminations and organizational changes across our lifestyle brands (Thrillist, PS and Eater), Product, and the Media Production & Technology organization.”

Vox Media says that it will wrap Thrillist under the auspices of Eater much as it has done with Punch, and noted that it is moving from a city-based model to a regional one. Writers such as Jaya Saxena and Amy McCarthy posted their dismay at these layoffs on Bluesky, with Saxena noting that “The way they are trying to reorganize Eater right now is, I cannot emphasize this enough, so fucking stupid.”

These layoffs come after several rounds occurred last year during restructuring of various Vox Media brands. In its statement about the layoffs, the Vox Media Union said that “this close to holidays, [Vox Media’s] callousness is especially galling.” The union is organizing a fundraiser to help those members affected by the layoffs. The news does not bode well for negotiations that are set to begin soon for a new contract between the union and Vox Media.