[RP TownTalk] Layoffs Begin As AOL Looks To Close Or Sell 400 Patch Sites

[Sarah Wayland]

This makes me sad. I really love our local Patch reporters, especially
Jenni Pompi.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbercovici/2013/08/09/layoffs-begin-as-aol-looks-to-close-or-sell-400-patch-sites/

Layoffs Begin As AOL Looks To Close Or Sell 400 Patch Sites

Jeff Bercovici, Forbes Staff
MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT
8/09/2013 @ 2:51PM

The great Patch purge will be even bloodier than promised.

Out of the more than 900 Patch sites AOL operates nationwide, only about
500 will remain under the corporate umbrella as owned-and-operated
properties, CEO Tim Armstrong told employees of the local news network on a
conference call Friday morning, according to an account published by Jim
Romenesko. That’s somewhat more severe than the cull Armstrong previewed
for investors on Wednesday, when he said about one-third of the sites were
considered to be underperforming and would be closed, sold or handed over
to a partner.

Armstrong vowed to take a more active role in managing the remaining
Patches, which, he said, were suffering from a lack of “leadership with a
capital ‘L.’” The folks who he apparently considers at fault for the
leadership vacuum, Patch CEO Steve Kalin and chief content officer Rachel
Feddersen, were among the first to be let go, according to Business
Insider. Kalin will be replaced by Bud Rosenthal, reports Mediabistro.

In a truly strange turn of events, Armstrong reportedly terminated another
senior Patch employee, creative director Abel Lenz, in the midst of this
morning’s conference call, in the hearing of all Patch staffers. Lenz, who
was in the room with Armstrong, tried to take a photo of the
proceedings.According to Romenesko, Armstrong cut him off, saying, “Abel,
put that camera down. You’re fired.”

(Two years ago, in the midst of another mass layoff of AOL editorial
employees, someone leaked a photo to me of the jarringly festive room where
the termination meetings were being conducted. So at least Armstrong
managed to avoid a repeat of that episode.)

Reports vary for the number of Patch staffers who will be let go as a
result of the downsizing. I’m told about 300 will be laid off this week,
with more following, presumably, if Armstrong’s prediction that local
newspapers will be eager to partner with AOL on many of the money-losing
sites proves unfounded.
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