Well. There goes BuzzFeed.
The recent Buzzfeed layoffs have
been described by both those within
and outside the company as unfair,
immoral and wrong. They provide
strong evidence of the need for digi-
tal creators to unionize, which they
since have made strides towards.
The employees let go from BuzzFeed
and the circumstances surround-
ing their departure make for an
indisputably depressing story, but it
also speaks volumes about a much
broader subject: the relationship
between content and creator.
OPINION
BY TOM GRENNELLBy now, most everyone with an internet connection has heard that BuzzFeed has
gone through some major layoffs in the past months. Roughly 15% of the people
who worked to make some of the most recognizable and widespread content out
there have lost their jobs along with all of the work that they put into their videos
over the years.
One of the most alluring things about YouTube to
a creator is the independence it offers. Those looking
to work on creative new projects don’t have to worry
about reporting to anyone, following anyone else’s
guidelines or ever not being in total control of their
own content. For years, creators have cited this as one
of the highlights of pursuing YouTube as a creative
industry instead of more mainstream outlets like
television or film.
BuzzFeed has now set a dangerous precedent that
undermines this creative control entirely.
Despite how you may feel about the content that
BuzzFeed puts out, there is no denying its popularity.
With millions of subscribers over more than a dozen