Paris (AFP)
The management of BeIN Sports France confirmed on Wednesday to AFP a reorganization project, which could lead, according to the Team, the abolition of around twenty positions, while the prospects for the sports television sector have clearly dimmed.
"While the sports television market in France has been in turmoil for the past few years, with increasing competition, the explosion in the amount of television rights, a significant drop in operators' investments in the distribution of pay television, and the piracy spiral, beIN Sports France is facing significant economic tensions, like many sports broadcasters, "said the group, in a statement to AFP.
Consequently, the company confirms that it has "initiated an information-consultation process with its employee representative bodies with a view to making limited changes to its organization to meet these challenges", while reaffirming "the positioning of beIN as a major player in sport in France in the long term ".
According to the sports media L'Equipe, this project presented to staff representatives on Tuesday concerns the abolition of around twenty positions, including 12 occupied by permanent contracts. The newspaper added that some journalists from the channel could leave it to join Telefoot, the future channel of the daily Mediapro, "which should reduce the number of layoffs".
BeIN is not the first sports broadcaster to reduce the airfoil, while it will be deprived of L1 matches from next season, notably due to the new competition represented by Mediapro.
The Altice group notably announced that it will reduce the workforce of its RMC Sport bouquet, and has closed its specialized news channel RMC Sport News.
Canal +, meanwhile, launched in July 2019 a plan to reduce its workforce in France by almost 20%, by cutting about 500 positions.
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