Univision is passing out pink slips in South Florida.
In an announcement made Wednesday by Hispanic and millennial-focused media company, between 200 and 250 people are being let go as part of a restructuring tied to the company’s poor Q3 earnings performance.
In a statement, Univision’s Chief News, Entertainment & Digital Officer, Isaac Lee, said, “We operate in a fast-changing and dynamic industry, and we regularly make adjustments to ensure we are nimble and best positioned to continue investing in Univision’s growth.
“As part of a broader effort to streamline operations, we eliminated a number of positions in various areas of the company,” he said.
Lee was quick to note that Univision will be adding new positions to support “strategic growth areas” over the next several months.
“That will allow us to be better poised to serve our diverse audiences across platforms and meet the needs of our partners,” Lee said.
Although a Univision spokesperson contacted by RBR + TVBR would not offer further comment, the Washington Post reports that most of the staff cuts came at Fusion, the former joint venture with The Walt Disney Co.’s ABC that Univision fully acquired earlier this year.
Interestingly, Fusion employees just one week ago voted to join the Writers Guild of America — a move that Univision brass discouraged.
Lee told the Post that employees who had voted to join the union and were being laid off would receive similar separation packages as WGA employees at Univision’s newly acquired Gizmodo Media Group. He added that he does not object to employee unionization.
Other layoffs involve business-side and editorial employees throughout Univision, Lee added.
