Layoffs Commence at BusinessWeek

Layoffs have begun as Bloomberg begins to absorb BusinessWeek, and the list of people leaving is growing ever-longer with, it seems, every passing minute.

Chris Roush is keeping a running total. Among the people leaving, at last look, are Steve Baker, Steve Wildstrom, Jon Fine, and Lauren Young. Baker is the author of a well-received book, The Numerati, Wildstrom wrote a technology column, Fine covered media and Young was a personal business editor. I'm surprised by these departures, and by others I've heard about in confidence.

Here's what's interesting: so far I haven't heard of anyone under the rank of assistant managing editor who is being retained by the magazine. All the retained people who are writers or line editors are going to the wire.

What I'll be curious to see is to what extent the new BW has its own substantial staff of writers, or whether it will draw primarily on contributions from upon the staff of the Bloomberg wire.

The former had been expected. The latter would be something of a surprise.

One saving grace, albeit a tiny one: I hear that people are being given the bad news with dignity and respect. That's better than what happened a few years ago, when one longtime BW editor I know, who retired and stayed on part-time, was let go via email. Classy.

© 2009 Gary Weiss. All rights reserved.