MediaCorp lays off 33 staff members

MediaCorp lays off 33 staff members

MEDIACORP has laid off 33 employees and redeployed 50 others, three months after the national broadcaster overhauled its organisational structure.

A report on Channel NewsAsia - which is owned and operated by MediaCorp - said chief executive Shaun Seow announced the layoffs and redeployments in an e-mail to staff yesterday.

He was quoted in an internal e-mail as saying that the company had reviewed every unit and had to redeploy more than 50 employees to growth areas. Thirty-three were laid off because the firm was "unable to redeploy them". Mr Seow said the outcome left him with "a heavy heart".

It was not revealed where the cuts and redeployments were made, but Channel NewsAsia said those laid off represented just over 1 per cent of MediaCorp's employee base. They will be offered severance payments and outplacement support.

Thanking affected employees for their contributions, Mr Seow said the layoffs "were not a decision taken lightly".

He urged MediaCorp staff to stay "agile", and pledged to invest in newer competencies such as digital, adding that recent moves taken by the company will lead to a "leaner, more collaborative organisation that is better equipped to innovate and stay relevant".

MediaCorp's operations include television, radio, newspapers, magazines and a variety of digital platforms.

Of the workers affected, 20 are members of the Singapore Union of Broadcasting Employees. The union said in a statement yesterday that it had negotiated with MediaCorp to ensure that affected employees receive fair compensation. Also, they will each get a training grant of up to $500.

jermync@sph.com.sg


This article was first published on Apr 10, 2015.
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