![]() ![]() plans to reduce its print publications by 80 percent, according to a letter Ski magazine editor Sierra Shafer posted, and subsequently deleted, on Twitter. “On the surface, it seems like the model would work, so I hope these cutbacks don’t dissuade others from trying to innovate in this space.”Īdditionally, Outside Inc. “This is a difficult time for media, and these kinds of cutbacks are a trend we unfortunately continue to see,” says Joy Jenkins, an assistant journalism professor at the University of Tennessee and editor of the Journal of Magazine Media, a peer-reviewed publication that studies magazines and new media. The company’s “events and experiences” and “customer support” staffs were untouched. Sixteen employees were laid off from the sales and marketing departments 13 positions were eliminated from “commerce,” 12 positions were eliminated from “product engineering and mapping ” another seven were “general and administrative” employees. Of those listed as “exits,” 31 were from “content”-or 18 percent of that sector-among them, three editors at Outside magazine, the company’s flagship brand. The layoffs were spread across the company, according to a slide presented to Outside Inc. Now, people are wondering how long they want to stay in this industry.” “You do the work because of the people around you, all these brilliant minds. employee told 5280 on the condition of anonymity to speak openly about the cuts. employees who had hoped Thurston’s ambitions would result in a rejuvenated era for the company’s publications. The change came as a shock to Outside Inc. That changed last week when the company told its staff in a video conference meeting that it would eliminate roughly 15 percent of its workforce, shutter some of its print publications, and reduce the frequency of most magazines to one or two print runs per year. Perhaps most impressively, Thurston told 5280, he’d transformed his company from a few dozen employees to one that had more than 500-and he’d made all the acquisitions without laying off a single person. would de-emphasize the advertising revenue model that has become so challenging for print media. The goal: to directly sell content, goods and services to subscribers for an annual fee. Thurston’s plan was to have those brands become part of the Outside+ subscription model, which targets individual reader’s interests and anticipates future pursuits. In addition to traditional print media offerings, the Boulder-based company bought a wide-ranging list of active-lifestyle brands, the complete Warren Miller film catalog, mapping services, and even a company that takes finish-line photos at race events. “I think COVID presented an opportunity that was once in a lifetime,” Thurston, a Denver native, told 5280 in a December 2021 interview explaining his myriad acquisitions for this article. CEO Robin Thurston went on a media buying spree, acquiring iconic publications like Outside magazine and expanding an ever-increasing digital stable to add to its Outside+ subscription model. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Outside Inc. ![]() The Local newsletter is your free, daily guide to life in Colorado. ![]() Vote for 5280 Top of the Town Readers’ Choice Awards!. ![]()
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