Business Insider’s global editor-in-chief, Nicholas Carlson, told staff that the move was his own and that he was stepping down, even though the news organization has been plagued by recent labor disputes and controversy over its reporting. Ta.
In a memo obtained by the paper, Carlson told employees he would step down as top editor this summer and become editor-in-chief once a replacement for CEO Barbara Penn is found.
Carlson said the decision had “nothing to do with any criticism” of Business Insider’s “journalism” and said he would work on the project with parent company Axel Springer.
“What I want you to know about me is that I believe life is an adventure. We have a limited heart rate and we need to harness it to live life to the fullest.” “There is,” Carlson wrote. “In that spirit, I have decided to make a major change in my life. I will be stepping down from my position as Global Editor-in-Chief at the end of this summer.”
The outlet has come under fire for its recent coverage of the work of scientist-turned-entrepreneur Neri Oxman, which infuriated her husband, billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman. caused it.
In February, Ackman sent a scathing letter of demand to Axel Springer, asking Business Insider to retract an article accusing Oxman of plagiarism.
Ackman was an outspoken critic of Harvard University and its former president, Claudine Gay, over the outburst of anti-Semitism on campus after Hamas massacred hundreds of Israelis on October 7. He claimed that it was only written about.
Axel Springer supported Karlsson amid legal threats from Mr. Ackman over the magazine’s article, but Axios’ top management amid intense online backlash from Mr. Ackman and his supporters. Semaphore reported that CEO Matthias Dopfner was privately considering firing Karlsson.
In a memo Tuesday, Carlson praised Business Insider’s journalism and holding those in power accountable.
“I’ve been in this job publishing journalism every year that, in fairness, has angered some very powerful people,” Carlson said. “This is a fact of journalism and it will never go away.”
Business Insider officials told the Post that the newsroom primarily respects Carlson’s editorial sense.
“He’s grateful that he hired someone who did some of BI’s best-known functions and research,” the person said.
But last summer, the editor drew the ire of Business Insider’s union after employees went on a two-week strike.
Video obtained by the newspaper showed Carlson frantically removing pro-union fliers from a light pole in Brooklyn’s Windsor Terrace neighborhood on Friday and stuffing them into the basket of a Citibike.
The flyer accused Carlson and then-chief executive Henry Blodgett of not coming to the table to negotiate a contract with the union.
In the video, Carlson confronted the employee and told the editor that she was “one of his reporters” and was unhappy with the situation.
“You’re not my reporter,” Carlson responded.
“Well, I guess it depends on how you look at it. I work in a newsroom,” she said.
“This is not my newsroom,” Carlson said with a forced laugh, as another woman began to heckle him.
“I’m not your reporter,” she said heatedly. “You know why? Because you fired me! And guess what? You fired the entire crypto team!”
Mr. Carlson rode away, and the two sides reached an agreement shortly after the Post published the video.
Months after the strike ended, the company announced that longtime CEO and founder Blodgett would be stepping down. As part of the changes, the magazine said it would move away from general news and return to a focus on business and technology.
One of Business Insider’s first employees, Carlson oversaw much of Business Insider’s growth and transformation into a public-facing publication in the late 2010s.
News of Carlson’s departure was first reported by Semaphore last month.
