<div dir="ltr">This makes me sad. I really love our local Patch reporters, especially Jenni Pompi. <br><br><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbercovici/2013/08/09/layoffs-begin-as-aol-looks-to-close-or-sell-400-patch-sites/">http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbercovici/2013/08/09/layoffs-begin-as-aol-looks-to-close-or-sell-400-patch-sites/</a><br>
<br>Layoffs Begin As AOL Looks To Close Or Sell 400 Patch Sites<br><br><div>Jeff Bercovici, Forbes Staff<br>MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT <br>8/09/2013 @ 2:51PM<br><br>The great Patch purge will be even bloodier than promised.<br>
<br>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.<br>
<br>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.<br>
<br>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.”<br>
<br>(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.)<br>
<br>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.<br>
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