ink-stained wretches

Out Magazine Laying Off Staff, But Will Hire Them Back (Kind Of)

The entire editorial department at the gay lifestyle magazine Out will be jobless on Friday, Capital New York reports, but another opportunity — that may or may not portend the end of magazine journalism as we know it — awaits them. Editor-in-chief Aaron Hicklin announced today that he’s launching something called Grand Editorial, a company hoping to supply “customized content for a range of consumer titles and corporate clients,” and he wants to hire “most” of Out’s twelve editorial employees. Guess who his first client is?

That’s right: Hicklin will be providing the content for Out. As for those who decide to still be involved, Capital reports they will be contracted freelancers: “The gig will come with flexible hours and the opportunity to work on other projects in the Grand stable, but not full-time salaries or benefits.” Hicklin said, “This was not a cost-cutting measure,” although some costs (salaries, benefits) appear to be getting cut.

Freelancing for a content company contracted by Out may be preferable to unemployment, but surely laid-off employees will keep in mind that the magazine’s publisher Here Media is notoriously bad at paying freelancers.

Out Magazine Laying Off Editorial Staff