Website Dot.LA, which focuses on the tech and startup scene in Los Angeles, laid off its entire editorial staff on Monday. Reporter Samson Amore confirmed to TheWrap that the small department was only eight people, including two people on fellowships.
In a letter shared with outgoing employees, CEO Sam Adams said the company would be “refining our editorial focus to better serve our readers” and moving from “broad news coverage” to “profiling and highlighting the great tech companies that are shaping our future.”
CEO Sam Adams noted in the memo that he “stepping back from my day-do-day-role” to “focus on a new venture in the AI space.”
Adams said the decision to axe all its writers “wasn’t made lightly,” but is “the right one for both me personally and the future of dot.LA.” He promised that that the radical change at dot.LA will “provide you with a deeper, more intimate look at the inspiring work being done in our community.”
“Allegedly the publication will still exist to publish a newsletter… unclear how that will operate given that there are now no writers/editors. We were all laid off, effective today,” tweeted Amore.
“Housing insecurity is a real risk for me right now as a result of this closure. I’m sure the majority of the staff is in a similar position, “said Amore. “And it’s devastating to see my friends/colleagues across the media industry in the same boat.
“Editorial staff at dot.LA was laid off and the CEO is out to work on a ‘venture in the AI space.’ Weird to mention you have something lined up after unceremoniously laying off your employees,” tweeted Keerthi Vedantam of Crunchbase News.
Dot.LA was launched in 2020 by former Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff.
