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Film Critic J. Hoberman, who logged almost three decades at the Village Voice, is the latest casualty of layoffs at the alt-weekly publication.
Hoberman, a staff writer since 1983 and senior film critic since 1988, was let go on Wednesday, New York magazine’s Daily Intel reported.
“I’ve seen a lot of people lose their jobs there in the last five years,” said Hoberman, making reference to the Village Voice‘s 2005 sale to the alt-weeky chain New Times, renamed Village Voice Media.
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“I would be disingenuous to say I hadn’t considered the possibility that this would happen to me eventually,” he noted. “I was shocked, but not surprised.”
Hoberman’s departure marks an ongoing trend of Village Voice Media layoffs in an effort to cut costs; in recent months, dozens of editorial staffers were let go at the company’s papers across the country. In 2008, the Voice — which was founded in 1955 — made headlines when it laid off several prominent staffers including Nat Hentoff, a columnist who had worked for the paper for 40 years, fashion writer Lynn Yaeger, a 30-year employee.
Tony Ortega, the paper’s editor, said in a statement regarding Hoberman: “The Voice is committed to providing comprehensive film coverage, and will continue to publish our many fine film writers, both in print and online.”
