Orlando Weekly Lays of 13 Staff Members Due To Impact of Coronavirus
Orlando Weekly, a free publication and website serving the Orlando area announced their decision this afternoon to let 13 staff members go in anticipation of the changing global economy as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Here’s a look at the official statement from the Orlando Weekly website.
In light of the unprecedented economic catastrophe brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Orlando Weekly is heartbroken to inform our readers and community that we have had to furlough members of our staff today. Cuts came from every department, including editorial, events, sales, production and circulation. It’s our sincere hope that after weathering this storm, we’ll be able to bring back our incredibly valued staff. At the moment we can’t offer a timeline.
The paper went on to add that so much of the company’s revenue is dependent on being displayed in high traffic areas like restaurants, bars, theaters, museums, events, festivals etc. WIth local businesses closing as a result of the virus and people practising social distancing the impact on the publication is inevitable. They added that remaining employees across the country are taking pay cuts and covering multiple roles during the outbreak.
Orlando Weekly publisher Graham Jarrett added, “My hope is that in the very near future, we can go back to business as usual. We have always been a small, scrappy staff that accomplishes way more than we should, and this will never be truer than in the coming weeks and months. We remain committed to Orlando’s arts, culture, entertainment, music, dining and nightlife communities and we intend to continue working tirelessly to deliver high-quality journalism to the city we love, as well as outstanding service and results to the businesses we serve.”
Even if your Orlando plans have been put on hold you can still support Orlando Weekly by visiting their website here. Readers are also encouraged to keep following along with MickeyBlog for the latest Disney news and updates.