'Men's Journal' Downsized; Bigger Changes Ahead?

The layoff bus made another pit stop at Wenner Media this week, and while the number of cuts was not large, it might presage a bigger shift in the company's operations. Positions were eliminated on both the business and editorial sides of Men's Journal, which, after an uncharacteristically strong couple years, is back in the doldrums (where, to be sure, it has plenty of company). Year-to-date ad pages were down more than 35 percent through the April issue, according to Mediaweek.

Multiple staffers -- I don't know the exact number -- were let go from the business side, while on the editorial side, only one employee was cut: executive editor Jim Impoco, an alumnus of Portfolio and The New York Times. "He's a great guy and a great editor, and we were very sad to see him go," says editorial director Will Dana.

A longtime Rolling Stone editor, Dana added oversight of Men's Journal last year. That promotion may have been the first step in a broader consolidation: According to sources, owner Jann Wenner has floated the idea of merging the staffs of the two titles. Asked about that scenario, Dana says, "There are no plans right now."