135 years of history coming to an end: The print edition of National Geographic magazine will be discontinued next year | Author | United States
According to The Washington Post, news of National Geographic layoffs has been circulating on social media platforms such as Twitter. On the 28th of this month, the magazine laid off its last batch of full-time writers, and the magazine's content will be outsourced to freelance writers or edited by editors.
The most famous cover of National Geographic
In addition, the media also disclosed an internal letter from National Geographic magazine to its employees last month, stating that in order to further reduce costs, National Geographic will no longer appear in print format at US newsstands starting next year and will cease publishing print magazines next year.
"After 135 years of investigation into science and the natural world, this Washington based magazine has entered another difficult stage," commented The Washington Post.
Many former employees of National Geographic have posted online, with some claiming to be their last day at the magazine; Some have confirmed that the unit is firing all full-time writers, but as of now, National Geographic has not released an official announcement.
National Geographic is a magazine founded by the National Geographic Society of America in October 1888. Its cover features iconic bright yellow borders and laurel patterns, reaching its peak in the 1980s. As a magazine that has been around for over 135 years, National Geographic has a significant influence worldwide. According to its public information, the magazine offers content in up to 43 languages, covering 172 countries and regions worldwide, with a total of approximately 730 million readers.
National Geographic Magazine
Data shows that the 1980s was the heyday of the magazine, with 12 million subscribers in the United States alone and 1.8 million readers overseas. However, with the continuous rise of online media, National Geographic magazine has been constantly impacted, especially in recent years. After all, one of its reports may take several months to polish, which is bound to lack patience for modern people who are accustomed to fast-paced content such as short videos.
In 2015, 21st Century Fox announced the acquisition of the National Geographic Society of the United States, leading to a change of ownership for National Geographic and significant layoffs following the acquisition. By 2019, after Disney completed the majority equity acquisition of 21st Century Fox, National Geographic had become a part of Disney's media matrix, but still had not escaped the fate of layoffs. According to media reports, a total of 19 employees were laid off this time, involving editors, writers, and podcast departments. Starting from next year, the paper version of National Geographic will be discontinued, but the electronic version will be retained, and the writing and editing work will be handed over to freelancers.
National Geographic official website
National Geographic is likely to be the most influential geography magazine in the world, with influence even beyond the realm of geography. In 1985, it used photographer Steve McCurry's shot of an Afghan refugee - an Afghan girl staring at the camera with green eyes - as the cover, causing a global sensation. Later, National Geographic also attempted to find this little girl. In 2002, Sharbat Gula, an Afghan Pashtun woman, was recognized as the little girl of that year.