Vice Media faced significant backlash during a virtual town hall meeting on Wednesday morning when laid-off employees flooded the call with thumbs-down emojis, leading to the abrupt termination of the meeting. The incident, reported by CNN's Oliver Darcy in Reliable Sources, highlighted the anger and frustration among staffers over layoffs and the closure of a publication. Critics, including Sean Griffey, argue that Vice's financial troubles stem from its never having been profitable, describing the company as a 'ponzi scheme' that exhausted investor funds without attracting new investment. The meeting's disruption, likened to a modern version of throwing tomatoes at a performer by Fortune, underscores the deep discontent within the organization.
Laid-off employees shut down liberal outlet’s digital town hall meeting by flooding it with thumbs down emojis https://t.co/7JAubjrvLn
Vice Media ends meeting due to accidentally inviting fired employees who protested with emojis https://t.co/AJSnl2NeeD
Vice execs abruptly lay off workers, end town hall after downpour of thumbs-down emojis (Fortune) In a modern twist on throwing tomatoes at a performer onstage, Vice employees showed up to a town hall and voiced their disapproval of executives with a steady stream of dislike… https://t.co/wALPODCqyK
Vice Media abruptly ended a virtual town hall on Wednesday morning after laid-off staffers flooded the screen with thumbs down emojis, CNN’s Oliver Darcy reported in Wednesday evening’s edition of Reliable Sources. https://t.co/K4gqmvfu8B
I understand and appreciate the anger that comes with layoffs and the shuttering of a publication. But Vice wasn't bled dry by bad management. It never made money. Vice was a ponzi scheme that bled investors dry. Problem is there are no new investors. https://t.co/q4pOSp2zsQ
Vice Shuts Down Virtual Meeting After Staffers Flood Call With Thumbs-Down Emoji: ‘Impossible To Ignore the Emojis’ https://t.co/RdJgJeVpXX