First on TVNewser: Pink slips are being handed out this morning at the Weather Channel. As many as 40 staffers are being cut from the ranks of senior producers, show producers, and weather producers, insiders tell TVNewser.
“After a careful analysis of our business, we made the difficult decision today to eliminate roles across all functions and levels,” a spokesperson tells TVNewser.
Today’s cuts come just a month after another round of layoffs at the Atlanta-based company. Those cuts came from the product and technology group which was created in July as part of a larger reorganization at the company. The network says today’s cuts conclude the reorganization process, leaving a total of more than 80 people looking for work. About 1,300 people work for the Weather Company.
“The television business is shifting and in order for us to compete in the future, we need to reallocate and better focus our resources on what we know our audiences want,” the spokesperson says. “The changes we are making today are necessary, difficult and the responsible way for us to move forward.”
Bloomberg recently reported that two of the three owners of the Weather Channel — private equity firms Blackstone Group and Bain Capital — may be looking to sell their interest. The third owner is NBCUniversal. The three acquired the Weather Channel in 2008.