‘Strategic reasons’: BuzzFeed pulls out of Australia and the UK in latest media shake-up
News listicle site BuzzFeed has announced it is closing its Australian and UK operations, blaming economic and strategic reasons.
National
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BuzzFeed has announced it will end its Australian news production “both for economic and strategic reasons”.
The online media organisation said it would end its UK news output as well as its Australian coverage.
The website said the decision was made to cut back local news in favour of US coverage.
“Both for economic and strategic reasons, we are going to focus on news that hits big in the United States during this difficult period,” a BuzzFeed representative said.
“Therefore, we will notify staff in the UK and Australia that we are not planning to cover local news in those countries.
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“We will be consulting with employees on our plans regarding furloughs and stand-downs in these regions.”
The company will retain some employees who cover “news with a global audience” including social and celebrity news, in addition to investigations, BuzzFeed’s rep added.
BuzzFeed, which was launched in the United States in 2006, attempted a major overseas expansion in recent years but subsequently made cutbacks.
The announcement about BuzzFeed came as Bauer Media last week announced it was suspending a string of titles indefinitely due to the coronavirus-fuelled downturn.
Bauer laid off 60 of its 160 staff including at Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, OK! and NW after acquiring Pacific Magazines from Seven West Media for $40 million.