RTL Deutschland to cut 500 more jobs after Sky Deutschland deal

What's the deal? RTL DeutschlandDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → will cut roughly 500 more positions by 2027 following its acquisition of Sky DeutschlandDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, with most reductions expected this year. Chief executive officer Stephan Schmitter briefed staff on the plan, according to local reports.

The context: The figure covers full-time equivalent positions, so it does not map exactly to the number of employees who will lose their jobs. RTLDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → said some roles may disappear through unfilled vacancies to limit compulsory redundancies.

Why now? The cuts are aimed at realising synergies from the Sky Deutschland acquisition, which brings the broadcaster and the pay-TV operator under one roof. They follow about 600 positions axed at RTL last year.

What could go wrong? Unions have pushed back hard. Christoph Schmitz-Dethlefsen of ver.diDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → said that in media mergers, "the supposed strengthening of the combined brands and business areas, as well as the location guarantees given to antitrust authorities and municipalities, have little impact on employee security."

He argued that viewers would see no greater diversity of programming from the merger, and accused parent company BertelsmannDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → of "showing the door to media professionals who are passionate about developing good broadcast formats and content."

The signal: RTL is not alone among Europe's legacy broadcasters. In the UK, Channel 4Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → said last week it would cut 340 jobs by year-end — 28% of its headcount — as chief executive officer Priya Dogra pushes a leaner structure to redirect spending toward programming. Across the sector, consolidation and cost-cutting are becoming the default response to shrinking traditional TV economics.

Read more: decodetv.com

Image credit: Loozrboy