The once venerable political journal The New Republic continues to bleed staffers as deputy editor Amanda Silverman, reporter Yishai Schwartz, managing editor Linda Kinstler and assistant literary editor Becca Rothfeld are all leaving, according to a report in Politico. They follow editors Franklin Foer and Leon Wieseltier who quit in protest last month over changes being made to the magazine by its new owner.
According to Politico the four turned down $1, 000-$2, 000 bonuses offered to the remaining staffers to stay on, but they were too frustrated with the new ownership to remain with the magazine.
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The upheaval at the New Republic began as a result of drastic changes made to it by the publication’s new owner, Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes. Hughes unceremoniously fired two of its long time editors Franklin Foer and Leon Wieseltier. This came at the same time as announced changes to its content with Hughes bringing in former Yahoo official, Guy Vidra, as its new chief executive.
Meanwhile TNR’s new editor in chief Gabriel Snyder attempted to justify all of the changes that were made to it. In his first message as editor Snyder wrote, “The magazine’s early decades were marked by abrupt ownership changes, unceremonious dismissals of editors, shifting policy positions, and uprooted headquarters, all accompanied by masthead upheavals.”
Snyder also listed all of the changes in content that were made to The New Republic over the years and mused that if its founders from 100 years ago were around to day they would surely see the need for change, He wrote, “if our founders sat down today to settle on the best way to achieve this mission, they would not have picked a weekly printed magazine and ignored a vast array of digital publishing possibilities. And just like any publication with hopes of success in the world of 2014, they would want The New Republic to be better at welcoming into our fold readers, writers, and editors who reflect the American experience as it exists today.”
