Newark-based Audible, the online audiobook and podcast service owned by Amazon, is set to cut approximately 5% of its staff. The layoffs come after recent reductions from Amazon, including over 500 job cuts at Twitch, the video streaming service acquired by Amazon in 2014. Additionally, several hundred jobs across Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios are expected to be eliminated. Audible, which moved its headquarters to Newark in 2007 and was purchased by Amazon for $300 million in 2008, has stated that the decision to downsize is necessary to ensure continued success in a challenging landscape. Audible CEO Bob Carrigan wrote in an email to employees, “Getting leaner and more efficient is the way we will need to operate now and in the foreseeable future.” The impact of the cuts on Audible’s Garden State employees is not yet known. Audible has been an active participant in improving the lives of those in Newark, launching programs such as Newark Working Kitchens and Newark Squared to support local businesses and attract new ones to the city. The company also offers relocation stipends to its employees, resulting in a significant economic impact on the city. Amazon has not yet commented on the layoffs.