Conservative magazine The Weekly Standard is on shaky ground, and its closure might be imminent, it was reported Tuesday.
Sources familiar with the matter told CNN that Editor-in-Chief Stephen Hayes warned employees in multiple phone calls that the publication’s future is uncertain.
After sparring with parent company MediaDC, Hayes began looking for a new owner to buy the magazine, but after months of searching, was told that MediaDC no longer wanted to sell.
According to CNN, MediaDC chairman Ryan McKibben then scheduled a meeting with staff expected to occur next week, as the Weekly Standard team braces for bad news.
The outlet has become a well-respected platform for conservative opinions following its inception in 1995, but has been seriously critical of President Donald Trump, prompting his supporters to fire back in outrage. However, CNN was told The Weekly Standard‘s web traffic has actually increased, which would, in theory, be a good sign regardless of the negative reader reactions.
Though rumors of its potential closure are swirling, The Weekly Standard‘s fate remains unclear at this time.
*Update: On Tuesday night, CNN’s Oliver Darcy posted a statement on Twitter from MediaDC’s owner, Clarity Media Group, which said it has “been exploring a number of possibilities regarding the future of The Weekly Standard” but “does not have any news to share” right now.
Clarity Media Group, which owns MediaDC, which publishes The Weekly Standard, says in a statement that it has “been exploring a number of possibilities regarding the future of The Weekly Standard” but “does not have any news to share” at this time https://t.co/RRBH0hxBWl pic.twitter.com/f7TZVrctOR
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) December 4, 2018
Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.com
