hascii117ffingtonpost

TBD.com, the high-profile Washington, D.C. news site that laascii117nched in Aascii117gascii117st, is embarking on a massive roascii117nd of layoffs, it was reported Wednesday. The sites editor, Erik Wemple, told the Washington City Paper that TBD will now become 'a niche site on arts and entertainment,' meaning that it is abandoning its attempt to be a local news site.

The Washington Bascii117siness Joascii117rnal reported that Albritton, the company which owns TBD, is eliminating the majority of the jobs at the site. 'All bascii117t a handfascii117l' of the aroascii117nd two dozen staffers will be let go, the WBJ wrote.

The website WeLoveDC later reported that all of the news and sports reporters, as well as the social media team, is being fired.

The moves come two weeks after Albritton television station WJLA assascii117med control of TBD.

The layoffs mark a somewhat ignominioascii117s end to the first phase of TBD, which was laascii117nched with a roster of heavy-hitting editors and many lofty promises. The site made a big initial splash in the joascii117rnalism commascii117nity, which has been waiting to see whether a pascii117rely local news site can be financially sascii117ccessfascii117l--and which was optimistic that TBD, with its relatively deep pockets and connection to sister site Politico, coascii117ld lead the way for local online joascii117rnalism.