The Conde Nast Trickle
"I don't think it will be substantially more [Death, Doom, Destruction, and Layoffs]," Conde Nast CEO Chuck Townsend tells John Koblin. "It'll be a trickle." A trickle, you say? What the hey does that mean?
This week's closure of Gourmet, Cookie, and two bridal mags came with about 180 layoffs. A spokesperson told the NYO that represents "the majority" of the layoffs that are coming.
So, theoretically, there could be 170 more people to be canned! And this should all be happening soon—you'll notice that Conde didn't waste any time staging its Day of Slaughter after McKinsey's recommendations had come in. Let's be conservative and say the layoffs are three-quarters done. That would mean that 60 more staffers still have to go. And quick.
Who will it be, hmm? Editors reportedly have the leeway to determine how they institute their 25%-ish budget cuts. So if you're a Conde staffer asking yourself how safe your job is, the real thing you should ask is this: "How much of a greedy luxury fiend is my editor?" Cue Townsend:
"I'm not saying that our editors can't fly first class; I'm saying you choose how to spend your money. If the most efficient way to do business is to take a Town Car, then for Christ sake, I'm not going to insist people take subways and destroy their approach to business. I'm just asking people to be sensible."
In other words, if your editor simply cannot do without his or her perks—well then, you lowly bitches gotta go, to pay for it. Sucks for you, Vogue.
[Oh and above is the Daily Show bit on Conde. Watch it and weep.]