News
General
6 views
People Inc. lays off 195 employees, citing shift away from print and legacy web
Nov 02, 2026
📍 Phliadelphia,PA, USA
# People Inc. Cuts 195 Jobs as Media Company Restructures for Digital Growth
People Inc., the media company behind People, Entertainment Weekly and several other major publications, is laying off 195 employees as it continues to restructure its business in response to changes across the media industry.
CEO Neil Vogel announced the job cuts in an internal memo Thursday, saying the reductions would affect approximately 6% of the company’s workforce across its offices. Most of the employees affected work in print and legacy web operations, reflecting the company’s efforts to adapt its business to changing audience habits and revenue sources.
“The rapid changes in media are evident to us all, and require us to be constantly changing as well,” Vogel said in the memo. He added that People Inc. had hired 320 employees so far in 2026 and planned to continue making significant investments in 2027.
The company operates a broad portfolio of publications and digital brands, including People, Entertainment Weekly, InStyle, Investopedia, Better Homes & Gardens, The Spruce, Travel + Leisure, Food & Wine, Martha Stewart, Real Simple, Southern Living, Allrecipes, Serious Eats, EatingWell, Parents, Verywell and Mind Health.
People Inc. has also been working to reduce its dependence on traffic originating from Google search. Speaking at a Goldman Sachs investor conference in September, Vogel said Google accounted for about 20% of the company’s web audience, down from higher levels in the past. He attributed the change to the development of more diverse audiences and revenue streams across its portfolio of brands.
The company is pursuing additional ways to build direct relationships with readers. Vogel said its publications collectively have approximately 11 million print subscribers and that People Inc. plans to introduce membership-based offerings, including People VIP and a club associated with Southern Living.
Vogel has also emphasized the role of human-produced content in the company’s strategy, while noting that artificial intelligence is being used to support internal processes. The company’s broader challenge is to preserve its established editorial brands while adapting production and distribution to a rapidly changing media environment.
Formerly known as IAC, People Inc. adopted its current name in April. A regulatory filing at the time outlined a restructuring plan that included workforce reductions, with the company targeting $40 million in annual savings once the changes are fully implemented.
Financial results have reflected the pressures facing its traditional publishing operations. In the second quarter of 2026, People Inc.’s revenue declined 2% to $416.7 million. Digital revenue rose 6% to $289.9 million, while print revenue fell 16% to $132.6 million. The company recorded 1.89 billion digital sessions during the quarter, a 23% decrease from the previous year.
The layoffs also follow reports that People Inc. and MGM Resorts appear to have ended discussions about a potential transaction. MGM said Wednesday that it had amended its existing voting agreement with People Inc. after the investor withdrew its previously announced proposal.
The latest job reductions highlight the difficult choices facing media companies as print revenue declines, online traffic patterns shift and publishers look for more sustainable ways to reach audiences. People Inc. says it intends to continue investing in its brands, but the restructuring underscores the pressure to align its workforce and operations with changing business priorities.
People Inc., the media company behind People, Entertainment Weekly and several other major publications, is laying off 195 employees as it continues to restructure its business in response to changes across the media industry.
CEO Neil Vogel announced the job cuts in an internal memo Thursday, saying the reductions would affect approximately 6% of the company’s workforce across its offices. Most of the employees affected work in print and legacy web operations, reflecting the company’s efforts to adapt its business to changing audience habits and revenue sources.
“The rapid changes in media are evident to us all, and require us to be constantly changing as well,” Vogel said in the memo. He added that People Inc. had hired 320 employees so far in 2026 and planned to continue making significant investments in 2027.
The company operates a broad portfolio of publications and digital brands, including People, Entertainment Weekly, InStyle, Investopedia, Better Homes & Gardens, The Spruce, Travel + Leisure, Food & Wine, Martha Stewart, Real Simple, Southern Living, Allrecipes, Serious Eats, EatingWell, Parents, Verywell and Mind Health.
People Inc. has also been working to reduce its dependence on traffic originating from Google search. Speaking at a Goldman Sachs investor conference in September, Vogel said Google accounted for about 20% of the company’s web audience, down from higher levels in the past. He attributed the change to the development of more diverse audiences and revenue streams across its portfolio of brands.
The company is pursuing additional ways to build direct relationships with readers. Vogel said its publications collectively have approximately 11 million print subscribers and that People Inc. plans to introduce membership-based offerings, including People VIP and a club associated with Southern Living.
Vogel has also emphasized the role of human-produced content in the company’s strategy, while noting that artificial intelligence is being used to support internal processes. The company’s broader challenge is to preserve its established editorial brands while adapting production and distribution to a rapidly changing media environment.
Formerly known as IAC, People Inc. adopted its current name in April. A regulatory filing at the time outlined a restructuring plan that included workforce reductions, with the company targeting $40 million in annual savings once the changes are fully implemented.
Financial results have reflected the pressures facing its traditional publishing operations. In the second quarter of 2026, People Inc.’s revenue declined 2% to $416.7 million. Digital revenue rose 6% to $289.9 million, while print revenue fell 16% to $132.6 million. The company recorded 1.89 billion digital sessions during the quarter, a 23% decrease from the previous year.
The layoffs also follow reports that People Inc. and MGM Resorts appear to have ended discussions about a potential transaction. MGM said Wednesday that it had amended its existing voting agreement with People Inc. after the investor withdrew its previously announced proposal.
The latest job reductions highlight the difficult choices facing media companies as print revenue declines, online traffic patterns shift and publishers look for more sustainable ways to reach audiences. People Inc. says it intends to continue investing in its brands, but the restructuring underscores the pressure to align its workforce and operations with changing business priorities.
Tags
news
Comments (0)
Login to post comments
No comments yet
Be the first to share your thoughts about this post.