Discovery laid off more three percent of its workforce today, about 200 total. The WP reports that the company, based in Silver Springs, that the U.S. networks brand group, Discovery education (on top of 84 jobs cut late last year), corporate communications and corporate affairs lost about 20 percent of their staffs. But the company also would be hiring in digital media with laid-off employees getting preference and the first chance at new jobs; a memo from new CEO David Zaslav also said more layoffs and and hires are likely. Zaslav told the WP: “It’s always difficult to restructure and reorganize, but we’re really focused on trying to build the biggest and strongest and most competitive non-fiction media company in the world.”
As the WP notes, the move comes one day before Zaslav ends his first 100 days on the job. Discovery held its upfront last week, announcing a new network and a new broadband initiative called iPremieres. (via LostRemote.)
MultichannelNews: This round is the second phase of Zaslav’s restructuring. The first was the departure of several senior execs in early February. From the company’s prepared statement: “The savings accrued from today’s actions are not intended to drop to the bottom line. We will be investing back in original programming, the marketing of our brands and digital-media extensions.”
Related:
—Discovery New Media Plans Include Online Premieres
—Discovery In Major Reorg; Wolzien, Berman On Board As Advisors