Media Matters laid off over a dozen staff on Thursday
Media Matters laid off more than a dozen staff on Thursday, in a clear sign that the organizations’s woes are deepening. The leftist watchdog is currently facing a high-profile defamation lawsuit from Elon Musk and federal probes into its activities.
“We’re confronting a legal assault on multiple fronts and given how rapidly the media landscape is shifting, we need to be extremely intentional about how we allocate resources in order to stay effective,” Media Matters president Angelo Carusone said in a statement released on Thursday.
“Nobody does what Media Matters does. So, we’re taking this action now to ensure that we are sustainable, sturdy and successful for whatever lies ahead.”
Newly jobless staffers voiced their frustration on social media.
“Bad News: I’ve been laid off from @mmfa, along with a dozen colleagues,” Tweeted Kat Abughazaleh.
“There’s a reason far-right billionaires attack Media Matters with armies of lawyers: They know how effective our work is, and it terrifies them (him).”
Another staffer, Bobby Lewis, greeted the announcement with a measure of humour.
“Journalism milestone achieved (got laid off),” he Tweeted.
Elon Musk sued Media Matters for defamation in November last year. He claims the company fabricated images purporting to show adverts on Twitter from major companies alongside posts by “white supremacists” and “neo-Nazis.”
Musk’s lawsuit then led the Republic attorneys general of Texas and Missouri to launch federal probes into possible fraudulent activity by the DC-based non-profit.
