The Writers Guild of America East did not mince its words when addressing the news that Vox Media had sold video game website Polygon, reportedly resulting in mass layoffs.
Pointing out that there was only about a month left on the current contract between the WGAE and Vox Media, the union called Polygon an “essential part of what has made Vox Media a profitable and top-tier online media company.”
“It is hard to fathom management’s commitment to its workers and its readers when this marks the fifth round of layoffs in just the last six months,” the WGAE statement continued.
The two organizations have been in talks on a new contract since February. The WGAE insinuates that this recent move is salt in the wound, considering that Vox management has “thus far rejected our economic proposals, refused to offer meaningful counter proposals and, frankly, shown a lack of interest in reaching anything close to an acceptable deal.”
“The Vox Media Union is ready and willing to fight to get a contract with reasonable economic gains, critical AI protections, much-needed layoff protections and increases in severance, protections from rising healthcare costs, a single bargaining unit that includes The Dodo, strong successorship language and additional common-sense workplace protections,” the statement said. “Vox Media touts its progressive values and its ‘responsibility to build a better media industry’ by amplifying historically excluded voices, but the only thing clear at the moment is that Vox Media and its CEO Jim Bankoff have taken extreme actions to weaken the bargaining unit. The union will not be intimidated by management’s short-sighted choice to fire workers, their self-defeating decision to gut Polygon or their refusal to take these negotiations seriously.”
The WGAE ended its statement with a demand that Vox “come to the table prepared to negotiate in good faith and with intentions to support the very workers who make Vox Media a successful and lucrative business.”
Deadline has reached out to Vox Media for comment, and this post will be updated if the company responds. Deadline parent company Penske Media Corporation has a stake in Vox Media.
Polygon was founded in 2012 under Vox Media and quickly became a top destination for video game enthusiasts that is known for its reviews, original and investigative reporting, and cultural analysis on all things video games. The site also provides coverage on film, television, comics, board games and more.
On Thursday, Vox announced Polygon had been sold to Valnet, which currently owns several entertainment-related aggregation sites including Screen Rant, Game Rant, and Comic Book Resources. In a statement about the acquisition, Valnet CEO Hassan Youssef called it a “powerful reaffirmation of our deep commitment to gaming, a space we’ve passionately invested in for years.”
“The addition of Polygon not only strengthens our editorial muscle but also amplifies our ability to deliver unmatched value to both audiences and advertisers,” Youssef’s statement read. “At Valnet, we’re not just participants in this space; we are its undisputed leader, and today, that leadership has never felt stronger.”
However, the Vox Media Union called the sale “devastating,” adding that “to say that we are outraged and heartbroken is an understatement.”
“Arguably even more demoralizing is Vox Media’s decision to sell a lauded games website to a company known for alleged exploitative conditions and for devaluing rigorous journalism in favor of churning out content,” it wrote in a statement, referencing a report from TheWrap earlier this year that detailed accusations from over a dozen current and former contributors to Valnet properties. The company is now suing TheWrap in response.
“Vox Media’s lack of respect for Polygon’s reputation in games media, the hard work and passion of its staff, and the robust community of gamers and fans who support it could not be clearer,” the union’s response continued. “Losing Polygon to such a company is not just a loss for Vox Media, but for our industry and internet culture as a whole. From a sustainability perspective, it makes little financial or long-term sense, and speaks to a lack of care and consideration for this company and its staff.”
The post WGA East Decries Polygon’s Sale To Valnet & Fifth Round Of Layoffs Since November As “Self-Defeating” & “Short-Sighted” appeared first on Deadline.
