Reporters are speaking out after layoffs at Capital Daily, a BC news publication under the Overstory Media Group brand.
Tweets from now-former employees of Capital Daily suggest that the layoffs occurred this morning, with others calling out the Overstory Media Group about its direction.
One of the reporters who lost their job took to Twitter and wrote, “Are you even a real reporter until you’ve been laid off?”
That tweet reflects the genuine anxiety that many journalists feel. Many people employed in the media sector have either been laid off or have seen a colleague get laid off. Postmedia also recently announced sweeping layoffs impacting 11% of its editorial staff.
The Overstory Media Group carries several brands, including the recently acquired Georgia Straight, Vancouver Tech Journal, The Coast, Burnaby Beacon, Fraser Valley Current, New West Anchor, Calgary Citizen, Tasting Victoria, Oak Bay Local, The Westshore, Victoria Tech Journal, Eat Tri-Cities, Calgary Tech Journal, and Capital Daily.
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Based on some of the tweets from former Capital Daily employees, it seems the news was abrupt.
~Some personal news~ I’m back to freelancing as of this morning, after @OverstoryMedia decided to lay off me and several other members of the Capital Daily editorial team.
Proud of the work we’ve done there these last few years, and disappointed in the direction it’s taking.
— Brishti Basu (@brish_ti) January 30, 2023
As of this morning I guess I am looking for writing and editing work.
— Jimmy Thomson (@jwsthomson) January 30, 2023
Another former employee previously laid off shared a tweet about today’s news.
less than two years ago when the company launched. less than half the journalists pictured are still there pic.twitter.com/OH9pL7D5lP
— dustin godfrey. (@dustbobgod) January 30, 2023
The Canadian Association of Journalists chimed in to express its disappointment.
We are disappointed to hear that Overstory has laid off its staff at the Capital Daily. Local news and journalism play an important part in keeping communities informed amidst a disinformation crisis. https://t.co/Qj63Kas1Kf
— Canadian Association of Journalists (@caj) January 30, 2023
Layoffs were a big story in 2022, a trend that continued early into 2023, with Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and local tech companies announcing staff reductions.
Daily Hive has reached out to the Overstory Media Group for a statement regarding these layoffs.