Journalists hold a very special place in our world as the harbingers of tidings both good and bad, and sometimes, they’re forced to herald their own demise. Ziff Davis is conducting layoffs across its organization, and of the many platforms that will be affected, the CNET guild is expected to be hit the hardest. Media company Ziff Davis owns multiple companies, primarily in the tech reporting realm. While the general public, unaware of this connection, sees these platforms as competitors, they are largely designed to collectively channel revenue back to the parent firm.
Tech news portals like Mashable, PCMag, ZDNet, and CNET all belong to Ziff Davis, and the parent company has decided to lay off 15% of its unionized workforce. The numbers might be small, but employees are not happy about the Ziff Davis union job cuts, as it sends a troubling message about the organization’s priorities.
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The Ziff Davis Union Layoffs in 2025 Have Sparked Outrage Among Workers
Media conglomerate Ziff Davis is expected to eliminate 15% of its unionized workforce, which currently amounts to 23 people. The layoffs will target approximately 19 workers from CNET, but a few others from Mashable, ZDNet, and Lifehacker are also expected to be affected. The reports from The Verge suggest that the workforce reduction plans will affect those associated with the coverage of topics like broadband, finance, and sleep, and some on the copy team will also be let go.
Employees and Guild Members are Frustrated by the Ziff Davis Union Job Cuts
After the year of layoffs we’ve had, the Ziff Davis job cuts don’t sound as dramatic due to their limited scale, but this will undoubtedly affect employees all the same. The report quoted Anna Iovine, unit chair of the Ziff Davis Creators Guild, saying, “It’s very clear to us that these cuts aren’t about journalism, they’re based on money and greed.” The assessment may be harsh, but it’s important to consider her concerns around how the cut is eliminating fact checkers and copy editors and how it will affect their reporting.
A statement from the Ziff Davis Creators Guild and the News Guild of New York highlighted their disapproval of the move. “At a time when CNET is still building back its reputation after a damaging AI scandal under Red Ventures, Ziff’s decision to further undermine CNET’s human authority is disturbing,” it read.
The statement also suggested that the Ziff Davis layoffs in 2025 were a matter of “corporate profits and greed” and could hurt the quality of the work produced by the employees. The statement accused the firm of “poor management and decision-making” that chose to avoid making any investments in workers. The union is expected to push back on these cuts to protect its workers.
The Layoffs in the Media Industry Have Been Mounting
The Ziff Davis union job cuts are of particular note, as the company has not necessarily struggled financially or offered any reasons for the cuts. Instead of having to bring down expenses, the company has instead been on an acquisition spree, having taken on five other companies this year. This further adds to the idea that there are internal reasons for the cuts that the company is unwilling to share.
Unfortunately for the industry at large, the cuts at CNET and Ziff Davis overall are not occurring in isolation. The Chicago Tribune laid off 10% of its new staff earlier in July, and so did Fortune and Informa TechTarget. Bloomberg Media also cut around a dozen jobs while Business Insider cut 21% of its staff. The Paramount-Sky Dance merger has led to the cancellation of The Late Show on CBS. The decision to let go of host Stephen Colbert drove the point home for many—no media jobs are safe.
Most of the cuts for now have been relatively small in scale, however, the layoffs do paint a troubling picture where employees are let go without the exploration of alternate strategies. Ziff Davis’ decision to work against the union workers has also alarmed many who worry that many hard-work contracts at other organizations will be thrown to the wind. Working against union interests can further disrupt the work being done at any organization, and it is always better to work with them rather than against them.
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Yes, the news is the story here—CNET has indeed been hit by layoffs under Ziff Davis, not Red Ventures. The impact is significant, both in terms of staffing and editorial coverage.