People Inc. Cuts 195 Jobs, About 6% of Staff, Mostly in Print and Web

People Inc., the media company that owns People, Entertainment Weekly and several other lifestyle brands, has told staff it is cutting 195 jobs across its offices. Chief executive Neil Vogel shared the decision in an internal memo sent on Thursday, October 29, 2026, and the company said most of the affected roles sit in its print and legacy web operations. The move highlights how traditional magazine and website teams are being reshaped as the broader digital publishing sector changes.

The reductions represent roughly 6% of the company's total headcount. Coverage of the memo noted that People Inc. reported 5,156 employees in its most recent annual filing last December, which gives a baseline for the scale of the cuts. The company has not publicly detailed which individual titles will be most affected, and it said the full impact on its portfolio is still being assessed.

A Pattern of Restructuring

The latest reductions follow a round of layoffs the company began in late 2025, when it cut 226 jobs as part of a push to focus on faster-growing areas. Some reports describe the current announcement as the second major round of job cuts this year. In April, when the former IAC formally adopted the People Inc. name, the company also disclosed a restructuring plan that included staff reductions and targeted annual savings of 40 million dollars once the overhaul was complete.

Vogel's memo framed the cuts as a response to what he called rapid changes across media. He said the company has significantly increased investment in a range of new projects and is aligning its workforce with what it sees as its largest opportunities. He also noted that the company has added 320 employees so far in 2026, and said it plans further meaningful investment in 2027.

What It Means for Media Careers

For employees in print production, legacy web publishing and related support functions, the announcement underscores how quickly the mix of roles inside large publishers is shifting. Earlier statements from the company pointed to social publishing, e-commerce and live events as priority growth areas, and the company said those efforts require new skills. Staff in older functions may find that the most stable paths involve moving toward digital product, commerce, audience development or event-related work.

The memo also stated that human resources and business leaders scheduled one-on-one meetings with affected employees, and that the company was committed to a smooth transition. Such meetings typically set the timing for severance and transition support, though the memo did not publicly outline those terms. For marketers and communications professionals who work with publishers, the shift also signals changing channels, sponsorship formats and partnerships.

What to Watch Next

People Inc. is scheduled to disclose quarterly earnings on November 3, and an all-hands meeting was planned to discuss the company's direction after that report. Observers will be watching whether the company provides more detail on the effect of the cuts across its brands, which include InStyle, Travel + Leisure, The Daily Beast and Food & Wine. They will also look at whether hiring in newer areas continues at the pace the company has described.