Hubbard Broadcasting-owned cable network Reelz has laid off around 5%-10% of its 75 or so staffers, Variety has learned.
“After careful consideration of the current economic conditions brought on by the pandemic the decision was made to adjust staffing,” said a Reelz spokesperson. “Those adjustments include temporary pay reductions for most staff, some furloughs and some job eliminations.”
Headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Reelz has ad sales offices in New York and satellite offices in Boston, Chicago, St. Paul and Los Angeles. The independent cable network, which reaches 67 million homes, offers programming that includes celebrity biography, true crime and behind-the-scenes series such as “Autopsy: The Last Hours of…”, “The Real Story of…” and “Breaking the Band.”
Reelz parent company Hubbard Broadcasting owns more than 50 media stations in more than 20 cities, with over 2,000 employees. Besides Reelz, St. Paul-headquartered Hubbard also owns remote broadcasting producer F&F Productions, interactive and digital marketing agencies, as well as local radio and television stations across the country.
The coronavirus outbreak has translated to layoffs and furloughs in the entertainment and media sector, as television and film production remains stalled since March and Hollywood attempts to grapple with the impact of the ongoing shutdown. Larger companies such as Endeavor, as well as boutique players including Anonymous Content, MGM, United Artist Releasing and Imagine Entertainment, are among the companies that have enacted layoffs, furloughs and salary cuts over the last two months. As the industry works to create a road map for restarting production, the pandemic has translated to more acquired content on broadcast networks and a significantly altered fall primetime schedule.