Video programming distributor DirecTV to layoff hundreds of workers

SAN FRANCISCO: DirecTV, a multichannel video programming distributor based in the US, will reportedly lay off hundreds of workers in a staff reduction spurred by cord-cutting.

The majority of the layoffs will affect the company's managers, who account for slightly less than half of the workforce, reports Deadline, citing sources.

About 10 per cent of all managers will be affected, out of a total workforce in the range of 10,000.

The employees were notified last week of the layoffs, which will take effect on January 20, according to the report.

"The entire pay-TV industry is impacted by the secular decline and the increasing rates to secure and distribute programming," a company spokesperson was quoted as saying.

"We're adjusting our operations costs to align with these changes and will continue to invest in new entertainment products and service enhancements," it added.

Meanwhile, US-based software company Scale AI, which uses software and people to label image, text, voice and video data for companies building machine learning algorithms, also laid off 20 per cent of its workforce.

"I have made the difficult decision to reduce the size of our team by 20 per cent, which means saying goodbye to many talented Scaliens," wrote founder and CEO Alexandr Wang in a blogpost.