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More Cuts at Gawker

Editors at Gawker, Gizmodo and Jezebel blogs are facing the ax. Gawker editor Sheila McClear has been let go, as has an editorial assistant at Jezebel, while Gawker weekend editor Alex Carnevale’s monthly contract was not renewed, writes FishbowlNY.

Gizmodo lost reporter Benny Goldman. Gawker Media head Nick Denton has not said whether more cuts will come. Consolidation has made it difficult to tell if more of the company’s sites will make cuts before the end of the year, Denton says.

Denton has made no secret of his fears for the future of his sites in light of the downturn. He recently predicted a worst-case scenario of a 40% decline of advertising spending on his blog. Since then, Gawker Media’s revenues have actually soared - by 39% in November over the same month last year, according to Denton (via Silicon Alley Insider).

About 20% of the gains come from adding Google ads to each site’s search results. More sponsored posts and larger ad units also added to the growth.

Last month, Denton announced he was selling the Consumerist website and consolidating Valleywag into Gawker. Major layoffs at Gawker followed, along with the elimination of pageview bonuses for its writers, though pay was raised to compensate for loss of bonus income.

In April, Denton sold Wonkette, Idolator and Gridskipper, which generated less than one million impressions per month.