Once a respected outlet, now prioritizing clicks over quality
Pros
Getting to cover the biggest and best in entertainment with relatively excellent access. EW used to mean something in this business, and though it's lost a lot of its former cache, it still has the power to open doors. The people there are wonderful. They care deeply about their work, about trying to keep EW from devolving into total slop, and about each other. It was one of the more humane places I've had the pleasure to work. And every team member goes above and beyond to deliver the highest quality work.
Cons
Over the course of my time at EW, it became a shriveled, husk of what it once was. It was the dream for many reporters for a time, but now, despite the best efforts of those who still work there to fight it, it's become more like TMZ than what it used to stand for. Clicks and traffic are privileged over all else (not that it's much different elsewhere); stories are determined by clicks rather than what actually constitutes real news or the type of reporting that once made EW a singular place. The amount of reporting on "The View" on a daily basis is, frankly, an embarrassment. And corporate continues to chip away at what made the brand special, eliminating set visits, festival coverage, criticism, and anything that made EW worthwhile. Neil Vogel, the CEO, is a frat bro doofus who lies through his teeth in every all-hands meeting. Tbh, I'll be shocked if EW still exists by 2027, as it seems like they do a new round of layoffs every time they finish the previous room of severance payouts. Seems like they're just spreading out how many people they have to pay severance when. There's also a real reluctance from management to acknowledge the reality of what's happening -- and do anything to try to fight People Inc's gutting of the brand.
