Over the weekend, Ozy Media’s board of directors determined it was best to shut the company down following a story in The New York Times.
The report revealed that a top executive for the company impersonated a YouTube staffer while on a conference call with possible investors from Goldman Sachs.
Despite this announcement by the board, CEO Carlos Watson told NBC’s “Today” that his company, Ozy Media, is not shutting down.
“We’re going to open for business, so we’re making news today,” Watson stated. “This is our Lazarus moment if you will. Last week was traumatic. It was difficult — heartbreaking in many ways — and at the end of the week, we did suspend operations with a plan to wind down.”
“But as we spent time over the weekend, we talked to advertising partners, we talked to some of our readers, some of our viewers, some of our investors.”
Watson might be open for business, but it seems as though his staffers won’t be returning. Veteran journalist Katty Kay presented her resignation after joining Ozy Media in May, and it looks as though she won’t be alone.
The Wrap reported some of the comments made by former Ozy Media staffers since the first report of the scandal have caused many to get on this roller coaster ride.
“There does not appear to be a plan. Carlos has gone completely rogue,” one former staffer said. “The entire editorial staff is done with him — who would possibly go back? Who the hell is going to want to go on ‘The Carlos Watson Show’ now?”
“We are all sick of the roller coaster,” another former employee said.
While these former staffers chose to remain anonymous, The Wrap did speak to Eugene Robinson, a former editor at large at Ozy Media, who stated that Watson is “nuts” for wanting to continue with the company.
“The brand is damaged beyond repair, and the name never made sense,” Robinson said. “I’d launch again with a lot of the same staff sans Watson and Rao and rebrand. But I think that golden goose is dead.”
Eduardo Razo is the Assistant Content Editor for BNM, which includes writing daily news stories on the news media industry. He can be found on Twitter @eddierazo_ or you can reach him by email at eddie1991razo@gmail.com.
