每日英語跟讀 Ep.K568: Buzzfeed News to Close as Company Implements Workforce Reduction
Buzzfeed, the digital media company known for its quizzes and viral content, has announced the closure of its news site and a reduction of its workforce by 15%, according to CEO Jonah Peretti. The decision comes as Buzzfeed faces financial challenges, including a decline in advertising spending. Mr. Peretti stated that the company cannot continue to invest in the unprofitable news site and will focus on delivering news through its acquisition, HuffPost. This decision, although deeply painful, is part of Buzzfeed's strategy to navigate the changing landscape of the media industry and ensure a brighter future.
據首席執行官Jonah Peretti稱，以發佈測驗和爆紅內容而聞名的數位媒體公司Buzzfeed宣布關閉其新聞網站，並將裁員15%。該決定是在Buzzfeed面臨財務挑戰（包括廣告收益下降）時做出的。Peretti先生表示，公司不能繼續投資於未盈利的新聞網站，爾後將通過收購來的HuffPost繼續提供新聞。這個決定雖然非常痛苦，卻是Buzzfeed應對變化迅速的媒體業制定邁向更光明未來的策略之一。
Buzzfeed, founded in 2006, was once a prominent name in online media, with a reputation for both entertainment and serious news content. However, the company has shifted away from news in recent years as generating ad revenue and audiences became more difficult. Other lines of business, such as producing custom content, grew more quickly. Despite listing on the stock exchange in 2021, Buzzfeed raised less funding than anticipated.
Buzzfeed成立於2006年，曾經是網絡媒體中的知名品牌，以製作娛樂和嚴肅的新聞內容著稱。然而，隨著提升受眾和廣告收入變得更加困難，該公司近年來已經不再關注新聞。其他業務，例如製作客製內容，對業績成長更加迅速。儘管Buzzfeed於2021年在證券交易所上市，但籌集的資金卻少於預期。
Mr. Peretti acknowledged that the challenges faced by Buzzfeed were not solely external, but also internal. He admitted to being slow in accepting the difficulties of monetizing online news in an era dominated by big tech platforms. He also expressed regret at not managing the changes better as the CEO of the company.
Peretti先生承認，Buzzfeed面臨的挑戰不僅僅是外部的，還有內部的。他承認，在由大型科技平台主導的時代，將線上新聞變現十分困難並且進展緩慢。他也對作為公司首席執行官沒有更好地掌握局勢表達歉意。
Buzzfeed News Editor-in-Chief, Karolina Waclawiak, also shared her thoughts on the closure in a memo to staff, stating that the company should have tried to build a business around its news site earlier, and describing the closure as "avoidable". She expressed concerns about the wider crisis in journalism and the potential consequences of subscription-based news models that may limit access to high-quality information for those who cannot afford to pay, leading to increased misinformation on social platforms.
Buzzfeed新聞主編Karolina Waclawiak在給員工的筆記中也分享了她對網站關閉的看法，稱公司本應早些嘗試基於其新聞網站開展業務，並將關閉網站描述為“可避免的”。她對新聞業更廣泛的危機以及基於訂閱的新聞模式潛在後果表示擔憂，這些模式可能會限制那些無力支付的人獲得高品質資訊，從而導致社交平台上的錯誤信息增加。
The latest round of cuts will affect approximately 180 jobs, and Buzzfeed expects to incur charges of $7m - $11m in severance and related expenses. Despite these challenges, Buzzfeed will continue to operate other parts of its business, including HuffPost, its food brand Tasty, Complex Networks, and its namesake website.
最新一批裁員潮將影響大約180個工作崗位，Buzzfeed預計將產生700萬至1100萬美元的遣散費和相關費用。儘管面臨這些挑戰，Buzzfeed仍將繼續經營其他部分的業務，包括HuffPost、其食品品牌Tasty、Complex Networks及其同名網站。
Shares of Buzzfeed fell by 20% on the news, resulting in a market value of approximately $100m, a significant decrease from its reported valuation of over $1.5bn just two years ago. The company remains committed to navigating the changing media landscape and finding new ways to deliver content to its audiences.
受此消息影響Buzzfeed的股價下跌20%，市值約為1億美元，與兩年前報導的超過15億美元估值相比大幅下降。該公司仍然投入在不斷變化的媒體局勢，並尋找新的方式向其受眾提供內容。Reference article: https://www.bbc.com/news/65341450