The last of the editorial staff of National Geographic magazine were axed on Wednesday, the latest budget-motivated move for the Disney-owned publication, the Washington Post reported.
Only 19 members of the editorial department remained at the 135 year-old magazine. Going forward, articles will be written by freelancers or, as the Post states, “pieced together by editors.”
“National Geographic will continue to publish a monthly magazine that is dedicated to exceptional multi-platform storytelling with cultural impact. Staffing changes will not change our ability to do this work, but rather give us more flexibility to tell different stories and meet our audiences where they are across our many platforms. Any insinuation that the recent changes will negatively impact the magazine, or the quality of our storytelling, is simply incorrect,” said the magazine in an official statement shared with TheWrap.
Senior writer Craig Welch tweeted out an image of his last issue on Wednesday, saying, “I’ve been so lucky. I got to work w/incredible journalists and tell important, global stories. It’s been an honor.”
Douglas Main, a senior writer and editor, tweeted “National Geographic is laying off its staff writers, including me. It’s been a wonderful five years — an honor and a joy. Very proud of the work that my colleagues and I have done here.” He added, “We were informed about this a while ago.”
The magazine became part of the Disney empire in 2019 during the studio’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox. In September, six top National Geographic editors were let go in a major reorganization. Staffers told the Post that the photography budget has also been significantly cut back: The magazine has long been known for its striking photos, such as the haunting 1984 image of an Afghan refugee.
Last month, it was also announced that the print publication will no longer be sold at newsstands in the U.S., beginning in 2024.
In the 1980s, National Geographic boasted 12 million subscribers in the United States alone. By the end of 2022, that number had shrunk to 1.8 million subscribers, per the Alliance for Audited Media.
The company also runs NatGeo TV, home of shows including “Wicked Tuna, “Life Below Zero,” and “Extraordinary Birder With Christian Cooper.”
