Smithsonian Channel makes staff cuts
May 16, 2023
By Chris Forrester
The Smithsonian Channel has been hit with staff reductions at its Washington HQ. Local reports say that Smithsonian’s editorial team has been badly affected by a sizeable number of staff cuts.
The lay-offs follow on from the Showtime/Paramount combination and – besides a 25 per cent headcount reduction – has also resulted in redefining its production and operational systems.
New Paramount boss Chris McCarthy, in a memo, says that domestic operations will be restructured into two elements: ‘Studios; which will incorporate Showtime and MTV Entertainment Studios into “one powerful studio team,” and ‘Networks’ which will be “consolidated from the existing nine separate operations including Paramount, CMT, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, Pop TV, Smithsonian and TV Land into one portfolio group.”
Smithsonian Channel activity will now be centred at Paramount’s Los Angeles base.
McCarthy called the cuts “a tough yet important strategic realignment of our group […] Through the elimination of some units and by streamlining others, we will be able to reduce costs and create a more effective approach to our business as we move forward.”