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Post by areyoureadytojump on Apr 14, 2020 16:02:40 GMT -5
www.digitalmusicnews.com/2020/04/14/billboard-bracing-for-significant-layoffs-and-print-version-scale-back/Billboard Bracing for Significant Layoffs; Print Version Getting Scaled Backby Dylan Smith, April 14, 20202 The Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group Hit With Significant Layoffs Billboard parent company Valence Media is preparing to make substantial cuts, including employee layoffs and a scaled-back print version of Billboard, in response to the financial strain of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. Sources with knowledge of the matter expect the cutbacks to initiate as early as this week. Valence will attempt to reduce the budget of The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard by approximately $10 million, according to the same sources, though it’s currently unclear exactly how many employees will be let go by the Eldridge Industries-owned media company. Additionally, Valence’s layoffs and cost-cutting measures will predominantly impact The Hollywood Reporter, which has posted multimillion-dollar annual losses in recent years; Valence Media itself has too experienced substantial yearly losses. In a testament to the pervading uncertainty and turmoil within the offices of The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard, editorial director Matthew Belloni departed The Hollywood Reporter last week, after openly clashing with Valence Media higher-ups over layoffs. Valence expects to bring a new editorial director onboard by Memorial Day, May 25th. Print-wise, both The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard will release less frequently, with the latter beginning to print monthly as opposed to weekly. Company officials have yet to provide specific date for this rolled-back printing schedule. Moreover, at the time of this writing, Valence Media hadn’t commented publicly on its expected layoffs and budget cuts.
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Post by areyoureadytojump on Apr 14, 2020 16:10:40 GMT -5
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Kurt
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Post by Kurt on Apr 14, 2020 22:12:59 GMT -5
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Disco🌶️📖
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Post by Disco🌶️📖 on Apr 14, 2020 22:37:13 GMT -5
What's even funnier is when you click that link above, this is what you see...  |
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tanooki
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Post by tanooki on Apr 15, 2020 1:40:56 GMT -5
Billboard's website is so commonly broken, why the hell would you fire the IT people?
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kimberly
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Post by kimberly on Apr 15, 2020 1:43:09 GMT -5
it pains me to see them lay off so many people. I hate this
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mamaloveme
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Post by mamaloveme on Apr 15, 2020 2:54:12 GMT -5
Wasn't Billboard most rely on Online today? why they lay off IT Staff?
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dawhite76
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Post by dawhite76 on Apr 15, 2020 10:27:00 GMT -5
I don't even know why Billboard bothers to print a magazine anymore. They do not publish all their charts and many of the charts they do publish are shortened. Also, by not publishing every week, the charts quickly become obsolete. Why would I buy a two week old Billboard magazine when there are more up to date charts online? Despite how the magazine has tried to evolve to feature more articles, it is the charts that will always be Billboard's foundation.
Their website has continued to deteriorate. First, the gazillion pop-up ads that constantly interfere with reading the charts. If they want to subject free users to these ads, that is the price they pay for free access. But, subscribers should not have to constantly fend off these ads to see the real content they are paying for and trying to access. The search function is constantly malfunctioning. After getting no search results recently, I tried something obvious - I input Celine Dion as the artist and chose the Adult Contemporary chart as my search criteria. Per their search, there were "No results found." Really? Celine Dion has never charted AC?!? Now that the IT department was decimated, I doubt their site will improve. Cutting costs could lead to frustrated subscribers cancelling their subscriptions adding to their financial woes.
Does anyone know how to download their charts? Before the most recent format change, you could easily copy and paste. But, now there's too much other nonsense like pictures that clutter the content.
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jebsib
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Post by jebsib on Apr 15, 2020 10:34:41 GMT -5
These are all valid points.
I've subscribed to BB for more than 30 years and their 2 weakest areas are:
a) a regular subscription rhythm (magazine is frequently late in the mail - with obsolete charts)
b) terrible - and I mean terrible - website interactivity.
The minute I started paying hundreds a year for premium content, I want it to work.
dawhite76 is not wrong about the search engine Eff Ups. It's been like that for more than 10 years no matter the design, layout, or upgrades in tech.
They also don't bother to respond to friendly emails / feedback asking for IT help on their site.
Fire the IT staff, and hire a fresh team when the economy turns - with real professionals.
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tanooki
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Post by tanooki on Apr 15, 2020 10:35:50 GMT -5
These are all valid points. I've subscribed to BB for more than 30 years and their 2 weakest areas are: a) a regular subscription rhythm (magazine is frequently late in the mail - with obsolete charts) b) terrible - and I mean terrible - website interactivity. The minute I started paying hundreds a year for premium content, I want it to work. dawhite76 is not wrong about the search engine Eff Ups. It's been like that for more than 10 years no matter the design, layout, or upgrades in tech. They also don't bother to respond to friendly emails / feedback asking for IT help on their site. Fire the IT staff, and hire a fresh team when the economy turns - with real professionals. oh they're the worst when it comes to responding to customers I've emailed them multiple times about certain errors and questions and I haven't gotten a single response |
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jebsib
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Post by jebsib on Apr 15, 2020 11:32:34 GMT -5
If the print mag went away - but they gave the option to download PDFs of their charts (in the awesome format that they publish them)
it would be wonderful.
As it is, collecting the charts currently is nearly impossible, unless you copy the lists that tandoori (generously) posts.
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Post by Devil Marlena Nylund on Apr 15, 2020 11:35:45 GMT -5
Any layoffs or closures suck, including Billboard, but I do wonder whether they have been challenged by other means of determining popularity/success within the industry, particularly with different methods of streaming and sales charts available by the retailers themselves. In a time where you would have had dozens of national chains plus indie stores selling albums and singles, so a compiled chart (billboard) would have been necessary whereas now you have Spotify, Apple Music, and several others, where a majority of consumers get their music from. The need for a combined chart isn’t as strong. Plus, Billboard’s own method of tabulating charts that include streams, sales and radio has become quite divisive in recent years. The format charts have become rather pointless. I could see Billboard as a whole folding within the next couple years.
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Post by areyoureadytojump on Apr 15, 2020 18:06:53 GMT -5
Billboard isn't going anywhere. They may downsize more, but they will always compile the Hot 100 and the Billboard 200.
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jebsib
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Post by jebsib on Apr 15, 2020 18:10:18 GMT -5
You could be right, but I'd be startled if Billboard folded in 2 years… it's an internationally known legacy brand that has been highly profitable as recently as last year. Like Time Magazine or the NYT, Someone would buy it. It's charts still have tremendous media weight and due to its web reach, it's leveraged itself into a much stronger position than even 20 years ago.
I recall that when albums were dipping (in the early 80s) or radio was splintering (90s) or when MTV was all anyone talked about, everyone predicted the death of the genre charts.
Instead, Gavin, Cash Box, Record World, Radio & Records all folded, but Billboard pulled through.
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Post by Devil Marlena Nylund on Apr 15, 2020 18:21:47 GMT -5
Billboard isn't going anywhere. They may downsize more, but they will always compile the Hot 100 and the Billboard 200. ok |
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tanooki
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Post by tanooki on Apr 15, 2020 20:08:38 GMT -5
Billboard isn't going anywhere. They may downsize more, but they will always compile the Hot 100 and the Billboard 200. I would assume even if the magazine went under, somebody would still keep the charts going |
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Gary
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Post by Gary on Apr 15, 2020 20:41:52 GMT -5
Anything is possible I guess but this magazine has been around since 1894.
This magazine will be fine
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Post by areyoureadytojump on Apr 16, 2020 8:47:40 GMT -5
Pulse tries to kill everything, but iTunes, cds and albums still exist.
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paulhaney
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Post by paulhaney on Apr 16, 2020 11:15:29 GMT -5
This really sucks. I have a lot of friends in the chart department. I hope they can keep their jobs.
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jebsib
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Post by jebsib on Apr 16, 2020 11:21:37 GMT -5
Gary Trust and Silvio must stay!!!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 16, 2020 11:25:00 GMT -5
I would imagine Billboard could significantly downsize in general at this point and the economic situation probably just sped it up. I don't think Billboard is going anywhere, but they probably don't need as many writers, don't need a regular print edition, have automated a lot of their data collection/analysis, and don't really need 100 different weekly charts.
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Caviar
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Post by Caviar on Apr 16, 2020 23:11:34 GMT -5
We have Rollingstone charts now. Billboard is old news.
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Au$tin
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Post by Au$tin on Apr 27, 2020 4:50:53 GMT -5
Lol, the Rolling Stones chart will go defunct before the Hot 100.
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Post by wayneashleymusic on May 9, 2020 9:08:59 GMT -5
The IT staff?? Like seriously, Billboard??
OMG echoing the comments above... WORST SEARCH ENGINE FUNCTIONALITY EVER!!! And I really don't understand, because Billboard really has some opportunities to generate lots of revenue, even right now. They should consider selling merch, memerobilia to artists that make the charts. Why does everyone in the whole Music Industry use that one group to purchase their official commemorative chart???
A few years back when my group the Houston Chamber Choir made the Billboard Classical Albums chart, I looked into purchasing some nice framed copies of the chart as a gift. The ones from the "official" sellers were ridiculously priced, and Billboard had literally no kind of product to offer. Billboard should be SELLING MERCH.
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