Vice News lays off 55 US employees and 100 globally

Vice News laid off 55 employees in the U.S. and 100 internationally, the media company confirmed to The Hill. 

“I want you to know that we’ve done absolutely everything that we could to protect these positions for as long as possible, and your time and contributions will forever be part of who we are and who we will become,” Vice CEO Nancy Duboc said in an email to staff Friday. 

The Vice News union tweeted Friday morning that it hoped management would consider alternatives to layoffs or furloughs.

“We understand that the entire news industry is hurting,” the statement read. “We do not understand why VICE chose to lay off so many of our colleagues in the middle of a global pandemic instead of exhausting all options to avoid this loss.”

Our statement regarding today’s layoffs: pic.twitter.com/CCQlKDRXAX

— VICE Union (@viceunion) May 15, 2020

Several other major media outlets have laid off staff, such as Buzzfeed News, which furloughed 14 staffers this week. Last month dozens were let go at CQ Roll Call, an outlet focused on reporting on the nation’s capital.

The loss in the media industry comes as advertisers seek to pull out of contracts. The Wall Street Journal reported this week that major brands are seeking to pull as much as 50 percent of ads from major networks.