Yesterday’s cuts at Time Inc. are the deepest yet, as another 250 people were told they were getting the boot, primarily on the business side of the operation.
It boosts the total cuts over the past four months to at least 456 people, or 3.75 percent of the company’s workforce.
“We’re evolving from a magazine publisher into a multimedia platform company,” said a spokeswoman.
“Unfortunately, we had to eliminate some positions and we’re investing in areas of higher growth,” the spokeswoman said.
There will be 50 new positions added to the company’s growing Web businesses, she said.
In the process, three veteran public relations executives, each with more than a decade of experience on major magazines at the company, are also leaving.
The company is combining its public relations into “clusters.” The women’s lifestyle and luxury group will handle the public relations for In Style, Real Simple, Essence and Parenting, with Chris Connell of Real Simple overseeing the group.
People public relations veteran Nancy Valentine will now handle p.r. for the entertainment and communications group, which will include the People properties along with Entertainment Weekly.
Susan Ollinick, vice president, communications of the Parenting group is exiting after 17 years.
“I worked for some of the biggest books and best people in the industry. No complaints!” she said.
The p.r. person for Entertainment Weekly, Sandy Drayton, is also exiting after 20 years at Time Inc., including the last 11 at EW. “It was my choice,” she said. “I’ve had 20 amazing years, I just felt the time was right.”
Sherri Lapidus arrived at In Style six months after its somewhat shaky launch and participated in its rise to the fattest fashion magazine in the business. She is leaving after 11 years. “We all have our days,” she shrugged.
Before the cutbacks started, the company had 13,300 people, but that also included the Time Warner Books division, which has been sold.
The workforce now at the nation’s largest magazine publisher is said to be about 12,000 people.
TIME’S UP
Recent employee cuts at Time Inc.
* Dec. 13, 2005: 100
* Jan. 31, 2006: 66
* Feb. 15, 2006: 30
* Yesterday: 250