BuzzFeed laid off 47 U.S. employees at HuffPost, including eight managers, as part of a restructuring effort announced in March 2021, shortly after acquiring the news outlet from Verizon Media. The layoffs, which affected nearly 30% of the unionized editorial unit, were aimed at stemming HuffPost's $20 million losses in 2020 and fast-tracking its path to profitability. This move occurred amid a grim year for the media industry, exacerbated by the pandemic and shifts in digital advertising. Additionally, HuffPost Canada was shuttered, and top editors departed, as BuzzFeed sought to refocus HuffPost on politics, breaking news, and revenue-generating content while maintaining its digital presence.
