NBCUniversal announced this morning that it will be closing two of its entertainment sites, Television Without Pity and DailyCandy. According to a memo management sent out to staffers this morning, the sites will be shut down early next week. Sadly, the close will impact 64 employees at DailyCandy and three at TWoP.
Good-byes are never easy. After 14 years of bringing you the best, we will close our doors on 4/4. Thanks for the memories. Xoxo
— DailyCandy (@dailycandy) March 27, 2014Both websites had reportedly suffered recent setbacks in traffic and, despite new hires and attempts to resuscitate audiences, NBCU has decided to close them. It remains unclear whether staffers for either site will stay on at NBCU in other capacities or if they will be laid off.
When Dany Levy founded DailyCandy in 2000, there wasn't much more to the emailed newsletters than fashion advice and insider tips for stylish Manhattan living. The emails — smart and witty — were focused almost exclusively on women. And, for a brief period, DailyCandy was the only one of its kind. In 2008, DailyCandy was sold to Comcast for a reported $125 million, and by 2011, they had exploded, reaching upwards of 3.5 million subscribers. Eventually the Gilts and the Groupons overtook smaller companies like DailyCandy, but that doesn't make it any less the trailblazer it should be remembered as.
It's a true bummer to see both sites shutting their e-doors, but we're excited to see where alums will head next.
(Re/code)