Atlantic Media will cut the staff at National Journal by a quarter as part of a broader reorganization of its D.C. presence, the company announced today.
National Journal, considered a must-read among policy wonks and influencers in Washington, D.C., will transition to a subscriber-focused outlet as its parent company expands the Beltway footprint of its sister publication, The Atlantic.
The Atlantic will grow its political coverage to fill the void under the auspices of a new Washington bureau captained by editor Yoni Appelbaum.
Today’s news comes months after Atlantic Media announced the suspension of National Journal’s print magazine. That decision was justified by a desire to keep up with the frenetic pace of online publishing in the nation’s capital.
Atlantic Media’s decision to charge subscribers for top-tier policy and politics coverage is reminiscent of the POLITICO model, which sets forth separate levels of free and paywalled content.
The staffing changes will be accompanied by beefed up sales and editorial staff at The Atlantic, which will poach staffers from National Journal to cover The White House, Capitol Hill, the executive branch and lobbying. In addition, National Journal Live and Atlantic Live will be consolidated under The Atlantic.
