Google layoffs more jobs in its news division

In the wake of a massive round of layoffs earlier this year, Google is making headlines again by cutting its workforce, this time specifically in its news division. According to a report by CNBC, Google has eliminated at least 40 to 45 jobs in the news division. While the company has not confirmed the exact number of employees laid off, a spokesperson for the Alphabet Workers Union admitted that job cuts were being made in the news division. According to the same source, the news comes just weeks after Google laid off hundreds of employees from the hiring pool last month.

Google is known for its extensive involvement in news selection and distribution. The Google News platform is a hub for premium news articles tailored to readers' interests and geographic locations.

A Google spokesperson acknowledged the job cuts and emphasized the company's commitment to maintaining a vibrant information ecosystem. The cited source stated, "We're deeply committed to a vibrant information ecosystem, and news is a part of that long-term investment. We've made some internal changes to streamline our organization. A small number of employees were impacted. We're supporting everyone with a transition period, outplacement services, and severance as they look for new opportunities at Google and beyond."

Google's news division has undergone a major restructuring in recent months, and this latest round of job cuts is a continuation of changes started earlier this year. Notably, Google parent company Alphabet announced plans to reduce its global workforce by 6 per cent in January, resulting in layoffs of approximately 12,000 Google employees and individuals in other Alphabet divisions. The company had cited its previous hiring practices, which had been in response to the rise of the digital economy during the pandemic, as a reason for subsequent downsizing efforts.