Hong Kong broadcaster TVB set to lay off 100 workers amid restructure and focus on online content
Most of the jobs to be lost at company’s international arm
Hong Kong’s oldest television station was on Thursday starting to lay off about 100 people as a result of changes at its international business arm.
Two sources at Television Broadcasts (TVB) said staff were to be told of the job losses on Thursday and Friday, amid the shake-up which reflected a shift of strategy in a competitive market.
The casualties of the lay-offs centred around TVBI, the station’s international unit set up 51 years ago, which includes pay TV services for North America, Australia and Europe and was restructured recently, a source said.
A TVB spokeswoman admitted there were “staff affected” amid “the company’s digital transformation”, but would not comment on the number.
She said: “The new structure will help reduce overlapping of functions, enhance flexibility in resources deployment and overall efficiency.”
She added that TVB had in recent years launched a number of new-media businesses such as over-the-top services myTV SUPER and TVB Anywhere, the social media platform Big Big Channel and the e-commerce platform Big Big Shop.