The journalism industry is getting gutted

Hey there! Hannah here. Last Thursday, I testified in support of Virginia's pay transparency bill. This law would require employers to display the salary range and ban them from asking about a candidate’s previous wages. 

I’m thrilled to tell you that it passed with a 5–3 vote and is now this 🤏 much closer to becoming reality! 

The more transparent our salaries are, the better we can fight for fair pay. In 2023, the gender pay gap shrank to its lowest yet. It’s no coincidence that this happened the same year several states (shout-out to California, Rhode Island, and others!) introduced salary transparency laws. 

Here’s to using our voice to advocate for our worth. 💚

 1   Microsoft lays off 1,900 workers from its gaming division 🎮

Microsoft fired 1,900 employees in its gaming unit last week (9% of its total staff), per The Verge. The move comes just three months after Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard and record Q1 of $3.9 billion in gaming revenue. 

Microsoft isn’t acting alone. Other gaming companies, like Twitch, Riot Games, and Unity have laid off hundreds of employees. Thirty days into 2024, and we’re more than halfway to the total gaming layoffs of all of 2023 (6,071 versus 10,500). 

• WTF is Going On? In 2021, the video game industry went on a hiring spree to match the pandemic demand. But since then, US consumer spending on video games has faltered and is now down 4.1% from 2021. 

The silver lining: The Communications Workers of America (CWA), a union representing some Microsoft divisions, confirmed the layoffs did not affect its members. While union representation can’t always protect against layoffs, it can help establish greater transparency and worker-first policies.

If you’re ready to organize at your workplace, sign up for CWA right here. 

 2   Kyte Baby finds itself in hot water 🍼

Baby brand restricts maternity leave. Yes, you read that right. Kyte Baby, an organic baby wear company, became the face of controversy after denying an employee’s remote work request while her newborn was in the NICU.

• Quick Backstory: Marissa Hughes adopted her premature son in December. To care for him as he fought for his life, Hughes requested she work remotely after her two-week maternity leave ended. The company said yes before having a change of heart and firing Hughes. 

Hughes’ sister shared the story on TikTok and it wasn’t long until thousands of parents vowed to boycott the brand. Soon after, Kyte Baby’s CEO Ying Liu posted a (painfully scripted) apology video. 

@kytebaby

The Kyte Baby drama is a reminder that the US is the only developed country with no national policy for maternity leave. It’s especially problematic for parents of NICU babies, who need more time until their babies are healthy. With 9-13% of infants in the NICU, the complete lack of NICU leave policies impacts one in 10 parents. 

As for Hughes? She’s (understandably) not returning to the company. “No company is perfect, but…I don’t think that’s a healthy work environment for me.”

 3   The journalism industry is getting gutted 🗞️

“Bosses wear Prada. Workers get nada.” These chants could be heard outside Condé Nast’s NYC headquarters last Tuesday as 400 employees protested the company's plan to lay off 20% of its union. 

• Condé Nast was just the beginning. On Thursday, Forbes’ newsroom union began a three-day walkout (the first in its 106-year history) to protest management’s attempts to union bust. The New York Daily News editorial union also walked off the job to fight against “chronic cuts.” 

It’s a tumultuous time for journalism. Major media outlets, including Insider, The Los Angeles Times, and NPR cut at least 10% of their staff. And publications like Pitchfork and Sports Illustrated are on the brink of extinction. 

• Why the Fall? Legacy media still banks on paid advertising placements and brand deals for revenue, but consumer attention is dwindling as people get their news from TikTok, Instagram, and other social media platforms.

If you’re a journalist impacted by this layoff, we’ve got you. Here’s a list of resources, newsletters with freelance and full-time job opportunities, and more. And if you’re thinking of starting your own newsletter to supply your income, Beehiiv is offering journalists to get started–completely free.

These ticket costs made headlines.

On Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs played the Baltimore Ravens at the AFC Championship Game. This years playoff tickets were 75% more expensive than last years, with one of the largest purchases being six tickets in Section 201 for…$19,704!

We traveled to Baltimore to interview ticket owners and ask them how much they’d paid. The results were eye-opening:

• A few companies offer game tickets as part of their benefits.

• One man paid $1,100…but $900 of that was fees from Vivid Seats!

• Season ticket holders / PSL (personal seat license) had the cheapest seats.

• The STS team sat down with Fast Company to chat on all things salary transparency.  

• “Give this man a raise,” says a comment in our interview with an IT manager. 👀

• From software engineers to data scientists, here’s how much TikTok pays its staff.

• Do men really negotiate more than women? Let’s blow that myth wide open. 

Thanks for being here! Before we part ways, did you hear about the woman who went viral for livestreaming her layoff? 

Brittany Pietsch recorded her firing from Cloudflare and posted it on TikTok. Although she amassed thousands of positive comments, some worried she could hurt her future employment prospects. 

What are your thoughts? 🤨

See you next week!