Sky Puts 900 Positions at Risk amid Significant Shake-up to Compete Against American Streaming Giants
Sky has announced that 900 positions are currently under threat as the broadcaster continues to reshape its operations amid the rise of streaming.
Staff Impact
Sky, which employs about 23,000 employees across Britain, anticipates that the consultation process will result in approximately 600 jobs eliminated, with another 300 reassigned to other areas.
New Offerings
The newest wave of reductions – marking the third in a little over 18 months – follows a series of product launches, including the second iteration of its smart TV and a more affordable alternative.
Company Direction
Comcast-backed media group is focused on enhancing current offerings, with the cuts mainly affecting the firm’s tech and product teams along with related corporate functions.
Since the start of last year, Sky has cut almost 3,500 positions as it moves away from traditional satellite television services toward streaming-based solutions as it competes against American leaders such as Netflix.
Overall, since Comcast purchased Sky in a multi-billion deal in 2018, around 6,000 jobs have been cut from the organization.
Streaming Adoption
Sky estimates that over 90% of new subscriptions now come through internet-based services including its streaming television and a new streaming set-top box.
“Over the past few years, Sky has introduced a range of industry-leading offerings such as our high-speed internet service,” said a Sky representative. “These products are now widely adopted and enjoyed by millions of customers, reinforcing Sky’s standing for innovation and excellent support. As we look ahead, we are shifting our approach to bring customers a new era of experience by investing in online customer care, unbeatable content, and even better performance from our products.”
Earlier Reductions
In March, Sky announced plans to cut 2,000 jobs at its support facilities and closed three locations.
Sky said that these closures would help it become prepared for tomorrow as it transitioned from phone-based customer interactions to online support.
In January of last year, Sky cut approximately 800 positions, mainly from its group of installation engineers, as more consumers abandon traditional pay-TV equipment in favor of “plug-and-go” online alternatives.
New Streaming Deal
Earlier this year, Sky struck a deal with Warner Bros Discovery, which owns popular film studios and award-winning series.
The partnership will result in the company’s digital platform being made available through Sky, but it resulted in the end of sole distribution privileges for certain programs.
