EW Lays Off Longtime Film Critic Owen Gleiberman in Staff Purge

The magazine also recently parted ways with music critic Nick Catucci and staff writer Annie Barrett.

Owen Gleiberman, the longtime film critic for Entertainment Weekly, has been let go as part of ongoing layoffs at the magazine as Time Inc restructures ahead of a spinoff from Time Warner.

EW also let go music critic Nick Catucci and staff writer Annie Barrett. Additionally, deputy editor Jeff Giles left to complete a novel and executive editor Jason Adams exited the publication this week after making the decision months ago, EW publicity director Beth Jacobson confirmed to THR.

Gleiberman is one of the magazine's most widely known bylines, having written for the publication for more than two decades.

The moves follow an editorial shuffle in January that saw Jess Cagle being named the editorial director of People and EW. Matt Bean was named editor of EW on Feb. 10.

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The entertainment magazine's layoffs are part of a broader reorganization at Time Inc that has seen staff reductions at titles across the company.

EW debuted a redesigned website in June 2013, three months after Time Warner announced the spinoff. The publishing company is set to officially be split from Time Warner in the second quarter of this year, according to a regulatory filing last November.

Recently, the publication launched a platform where a network of mostly unpaid bloggers can post recaps of TV shows and contribute lists and articles, Digiday reported last week. Titled The Community, the vertical is currently in beta mode with the first post listed as being published on Feb. 21. EW describes the section in a FAQ as "featuring superfans with passion and unique voices."

Gleiberman's exit follows the departure of several critics in 2013, including film critic Lisa Schwarzbaum and TV critic Ken Tucker.

Email: erik.hayden@thr.com

Twitter: @Erik_Hayden