WHAT IN THE WORLD

Staffers: ‘Batsh*t Crazy’ Newsweek Meeting Made Staffers Thank Church, Hold Hands

The 90-minute staff meeting did little to help anger over recent firings.

Newsweek’s interim Chief Content Officer Jonathan Davis reportedly did little to soothe his angry staff at a 90-minute meeting Tuesday. Davis asked that the staff hold hands and thank the Christian church community headed by the Rev. David Jang that has financial ties to the magazine. Davis, who is a member of the church, allegedly asked for employees to give thanks for its “blessings” in what staffers called a “batshit crazy” 90 minutes. The New York Post reports the church’s financial ties to Newsweek Media Group are being probed by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, which raided the Newsweek office last month. On Monday, the news outlet fired Editor Bob Roe, Executive Editor Ken Li, and investigative reporter Celeste Katz. All had reported on the company’s recent troubles. BuzzFeed has reported on recent allegations that Newsweek engaged in “fraudulent online traffic practices.” The legacy magazine was previously owned by Daily Beast parent company IAC.