Google’s news division faces massive workforce cut

Google has slashed its workforce in the news division this week amid ongoing challenges for online platforms and publishers. It is believed that approximately 40 to 45 employees in Google News have been affected by these job cuts, as stated by a spokesperson from the Alphabet Workers Union, who couldn't specify the precise figure.

While a Google representative acknowledged the staff reductions, they did not disclose the exact number, emphasizing that there are still hundreds of employees dedicated to the news product, CNBC reports.

“We’re deeply committed to a vibrant information ecosystem, and news is a part of that long-term investment,” the spokesperson said. “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 News offers a selection of links to articles sourced from numerous publishers and magazines. This feature is widely utilized by individuals who use Google search, enabling them to discover high-ranking news stories related to specific topics of interest.

The reductions in Google News are part of a broader trend of downsizing within the company this year. Earlier in January, Google revealed plans to reduce its workforce by 12,000 positions, impacting around 6% of its full-time employees. Just last month, the company also made substantial staff reductions within its recruiting department, affecting hundreds of positions.

On Tuesday, a staff engineer employed at Google News shared a post on LinkedIn concerning the job cuts.

“These are some of the best and brightest people I’ve ever worked with,” the person wrote. “We’re definitely worse off without them.”