Oxygen and MSNBC are undergoing new rounds of layoffs, officials from both
networks confirmed Tuesday.
In Oxygen's case, the women's network has trimmed 20 employees from its
Oxygen Sports unit, spokesman Mike Wade said.
'We have had cutbacks based on our evolving strategy in sports,' Wade said.
'We are going to be doing fewer events, but more high-profile sports
events.'
Oxygen will air at least 14 sports events this year versus 31 in the past.
The network will keep the Women's Tennis Association, the Ladies Professional
Golf Association and preseason games from college basketball's Women's National
Invitational Tournament on its roster.
MSNBC has laid off roughly two-dozen people at its documentary unit,
according to several published reports.
While spokesman Mark O'Connor confirmed that the network has just cut staff,
he wouldn't comment on how many people are being let go. He said he didn't have
a specific number yet since some of them will be shifted to other departments at
MSNBC, including live news.
Like Oxygen, MSNBC is blaming its layoffs on a shift in strategy.
'We're focusing more on live news than taped documentaries,' O'Connor said.
'As a result of Sept. 11, we feel it's more important to have live news.'
Around Christmas time, MSNBC did an initial round of layoffs at its
documentary unit, according to O'Connor.
