Pay-television broadcaster beIN Media Group is to cut over 100 jobs as the disruption and ensuing financial impact caused by the Covid-19 pandemic continues to take effect.
Employees to be affected by the measures include presenters, reporters and technicians, according to Bloomberg, citing people “familiar with the matter”.
The redundancy programme affects beIN’s Qatar-headquartered business in the Middle East and North Africa.
Commenting on the redundancies, beIN told SportBusiness Media: “In the context of the enormous and most financially-crippling disruption to the sports and entertainment industry in recent memory, broadcasters around the world are making incredibly difficult decisions in order to survive – and beIN is not immune.
“These forces have been compounded for beIN specifically due to rampant piracy across Mena.
“As a result, we have started a limited redundancy programme in relation to our Mena business – which will be as limited as possible, while securing our long-term future.”
In the middle of 2019, beIN laid off close to 300 employees in Qatar – about 18 per cent of its local staff – as the impact of the beoutQ piracy took hold.
News of around 20 redundancies at beIN’s French operation emerged at the start of June. The termination of around 20 positions is said to include 12 staff with permanent contracts and affects editorial roles.