Axios shifts towards specialist journalism with layoffs

Axios has cut 11 newsroom roles as it pivots away from general assignment reporting towards specialist journalists with deep subject expertise.

The move underscores a broader shift in digital media, where publishers are betting that authority and niche knowledge, rather than scale , will drive audience growth and revenue, particularly as artificial intelligence reshapes how news is produced and consumed.

The layoffs affect staff across national and local coverage, including the news desk, visuals and social teams. In a memo to employees first reported by Ben Mullins of the New York Times, publisher Nicholas Johnston said the cuts were part of building a “newsroom of the future.”

The changes follow a clear shift in hiring strategy. Last week, chief executive Jim VandeHei posted a recruitment message on X calling for “true subject matter experts” and pointing to correspondents Barak Ravid and Sara Fischer as models.

“Obsession, experience, and a desire to dominate your topic are must-haves,” said VandeHei, chief executive of Axios. “Not interested in generalists or ideological writers.”

He said the company is open to hiring journalists, independent writers and industry specialists willing to move into reporting roles.

Johnston said Axios would continue expanding its Axios Local network while introducing more automation into newsroom workflows.

“We’re starting to see how AI can help us automate some tasks to focus humans on our most consequential work,” said Johnston.

He added that the company would continue to “focus our energy where human journalists win.”

The cuts follow earlier reductions, including 50 roles in August 2024 and 19 business-side positions in November. Despite this, Axios said it exceeded its revenue targets for 2025.

VandeHei has argued that constant change in technology and audience behaviour requires media companies to adapt quickly. “Things are just shifting faster than at any point in humanity,” he said. “You just have to find ways as a business and as an individual to keep up and to evolve, and that makes people nervous.”