Fear Comes to 4 Times Square
With media companies announcing layoffs in recent weeks that have amounted to anywhere from 100% to 6%, the news of a 5% budget trim at Conde Nast seems fairly mild by comparison. But Conde Nast has always been seen as the media's promised land: a mythical place where Uncle Si's benevolent rule doesn't follow the laws of economics and the one place where a person who types for a living might make enough money to be able to afford (or get a friendly publicist to "loan") some of the accoutrements proffered in the glossy pages of Vanity Fair, Vogue and GQ. Working for Conde Nast isn't just a job, it's an aspirational lifestyle. So it's not just those holding some of the cushiest journalism jobs in the universe (I should know) who are trying to figure out what Conde Nast budget cuts mean. (Rice-a-Roni in the cafeteria? Curtailed black car service? Or shiver expense account caps?) It's every single person in the print media world who believed that if they did well enough at their crappy, low-paying print job, they too could one day gain admission into the Conde Nast circle. But details are sparse right now on just what Si Newhouse will be cutting back on. Who's getting laid off? What perks are being cut back? Where are the memos? If you can enlighten us, please send email (from your personal account!) to tips@gawker.com or call our tip line at 646-214-8138.