The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) underwent a series of layoffs in May 2024, affecting several journalists across various teams. Among those let go were Daniel Varghese, who oversaw the gear and gadgets section of Off Duty at WSJ, and Ben Kesling, who covered Midwest and national defense issues for the publication. The layoffs occurred in both New York City and Chicago bureaus.
Varghese had previously worked as an associate editor of The Strategist at New York Magazine before joining WSJ in February 2022. He was also a tech and lifestyle writer at GQ Magazine and has written for Wirecutter. Varghese is a Georgetown University graduate.
Kesling, who covered Midwest issues and national defense for the Chicago bureau, graduated from Wabash College with a master of divinity degree from Harvard University. He attended Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism and Middlebury Language School for Arabic. Kesling is also a two-day Jeopardy champion and has won awards from the New York Press Club and the Washington chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Before joining WSJ, Kesling served as a U.S. Marine Corps infantry officer who deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Rumors of further layoffs began circulating early Thursday, with individual meetings scheduled for journalists. The union representing editorial staff at WSJ announced a walkout in protest.
WSJ Editor-in-Chief Emma Tucker described the moves as part of a larger reorganization with a focus on digital growth and subscription growth. However, some journalists expressed concern over the lack of justification for these cuts and their impact on employee morale, loyalty, and the quality of reporting.
The Wall Street Journal has conducted multiple rounds of newsroom layoffs this year as part of a broader reorganization. Despite record profits at News Corp and Dow Jones, some journalists felt that the cuts were unnecessary.
