As AOL Prepares To Downsize Patch, CEO Fires Employee During Meeting 248
An anonymous reader writes "AOL is closing or plans to sell nearly half of the 900 'hyperlocal' news websites operated by its money-losing Patch Media subsidiary (TechCrunch is also owned by AOL). Hundreds of staff layoffs are believed to be imminent. AOL acquired Patch in 2009, soon after ex-Googler Tim Armstrong took over as CEO; Armstrong was also a co-founder of Patch. During a tough conference call last Thursday Armstrong told Patch editors: 'Something at Patch has been missing for some time and that's leadership – leadership with a capital L'. Armstrong then demonstrated his grasp of Donald Trump's management style by firing an employee during the meeting for taking a picture. At 1:18 of the NY Post's sound clip from Jim Romensko: 'Leaking information Patch isn't going to bother me. I'm not changing direction'. At 2:00: 'Abel [Creative Director Lenz], put that camera down. Abel, you're fired. Out.' Armstrong later explained that 'The reason I fired Abel is I don't want anyone taking pictures of this meeting' and that, much like a sports team, AOL couldn't afford to have people 'giving the game plan away'."
Re:What a dick (Score:4, Funny)
"similarly" has four syllables. Not that you can count that high.
Re:To help AOL he should have fired himself! (Score:5, Funny)
The firings will continue until morale improves!
Re:What a dick (Score:5, Funny)
Result of searching for "aol growth prospects" on finance.google.com:
Your search - aol growth prospects - produced no matches. [google.com]
Re: What a dick (Score:2, Funny)
Didn't AOL disappear a decade ago?