Current TV Staff Suffer A “Major Bloodbath” As 80 Employees Lose Their Jobs

"Current Media’s COO, Joanna Drake Earl told me over the phone that the layoffs are due to a shifting of programming strategy and are not a cost-cutting measure. Current is shifting away from in-house production and towards out sourcing segments, which will be done via acquisitions, co-productions, and the use of outside studios. Layoffs took place in Current’s San Francisco, Los Angeles, London and New York offices, but the cuts were mostly made in the production and programming areas. Earl added that this year is set to be Current’s most profitable year since its launch..."

There is absolutely no excuse for lay offs and outsourcing if a company is already profitable and I may very well stop watching, reading and contributing to Current over this. Our economy is bleeding jobs out like a wounded hemophiliac and the executives at Current think it is "good business" to lay people off when they are already making a profit.

Well I say fuck them and fuck that.

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Well if this brings back programming that is created by it's viewers than I say hell yes.

The problem with Current is that they began with viewer created content. About a year ago they cut most of it out and squashed their VC2 program. They then went to an all in-house development network that really sucked.

I hope outsourcing means that they reach out to many of their former VC2 producers from around the world and bring back quality programming.

I hope the new CEO gets what he deserves. Is it always about money,but to outsorse the jobs in this day and age and you send jobs to another country is bullshit.Your new CEO sucks.MoneyMoneyMoney.

As I read my severance agreement, I realized that Current is not mentioning an important bit of information. Their actions have triggered the WARN Act. Moreover, when Current says that they’ve laid off 80 employees, they’re not mentioning that they plan to lay off, at least, 20 more. One of the factors that triggers the WARN Act is when a company lays off a third of its workforce. Current had about 300 US employees before today’s layoffs, so letting go of 80 employees does not set off WARN. Letting go of 100 would.

Why do I think that Current’s workforce reduction falls under WARN? Because in addition to a promised severance payment, I continue on Current’s payroll for 60 days with benefits – even though I have no obligation to perform work. What Current is doing is getting around the 60 day notification provision under WARN by continuing pay and benefits for laid off workers. In addition, my Termination Agreement states that I would release the company from any claims that it has violated the WARN act.

While Current deflects questions about more lay offs in the coming months, they’re actions cannot hide the fact that they plan to, at least, have a total of 100 employees gone by the next few months.

Without VC2 (viewer created content) being at the core of this network, the corruption and slanted views that dominate the main stream will emerge here too; its only a matter of time and influence gained by the site. Perhaps this is the first sign of it.

AWWWW, MAAAAN! Not only do the layoffs rub,... but Current's recent shift to become more like its competition is no doubt gonna lead to more deterioration of the network and site. I know that Current is a media company,... and fundamentally, money is their boss. But, please Current - hang on to the network's original integrity for as long as possible. And like everyone says,... how could the most profitable and most publicized 12 month period require employee cuts?! As of right now, I still love and value Current,... but they may be heading in the wrong direction.
Well,... good luck to the departed staffers.

Friggen capitalists ruin everything.

Sorry Guys but I can understand why certain TV shows are being cut. This used to be a viewers/users site and I think they have got lost in their own ego's. In all truth fullness I dont understand why any TV shows are needed ?

OUTSOURCING?!? seriously? Current news is the closest this nation can get to the people's news...not some skewed mainstream propaganda stunt! Programming and production is the heart and the unique character that all Current followers love and deeply, greatly appreciate. Outsourcing these jobs takes that away. Current is a forum for the world to interact in and to call it our own...to literally have our voices heard.

all i can say is .....

SELL OUTS!!

I have been very disappointed with Current this past year, too many changes for the worse. I loved the old format of viewer created content and hourly news. I answered a hundred suveys they sent me and every time I emphasized what I thought was the best and most interesting aspects of Current. It is now more like Youtube had sex with MTV and had a bastard deformed child. In know this is harsh, but they deserve it. Current is selling out to the Main Stream Profit Machine, they don't really care about their loyal followers who have been with them from the beginning. That is quite obvious based on how they have slowly but surely removed viewer created content and comments from the lineup.

This would be a great time for a new site that embraces the original mission of Current to come out and steal away the best contributors and producers, those who are dedicated to their chosen topic and level of activism.

this makes me quite sad...

folks, they are cutting about 22% of their work force, WHY THE FUCK in the 1st place did they OVER HIRE?

i don't like the changes that have happened, especially with all that indy-emo music segments that they try to shove down your throat. there is no musical diversity on current, it's all geek rock and hip hop; with dougalas cabri(z)ero. smells like mtv to me.

all the fools have rushed in, the commentators used to be intelligent, now it's just ignorant wackos yelling.

i still love infomania, vanguard, and other stuff. still got current love.

i think current is on life support, we'll see if it gets out of its coma. =(

If this network doesn't go back to it's roots and how most of us became familiar with it, all user created programing and submissions, this network will die.

So suprised?

I hope that those of you angered by currents actions will not sit down when it's RFID's and checkpoints instead of VC2 and severance pay. the current system is working for too few.
when is enough enough?
when is it time to start stopping traffic?
have I missed entirely, the underlying issue? I dont think so. time to stand up for our rights.

maybe rosenthal is gonna make current more like mtv...all reality tv with a little bit of news thrown in here and there

its a shame that they've strayed so far from their original intent and purpose....cash rules everything around us....and turns it to shit

Very sad about this.
It is hard to loose your job.
I went through the same.
Keep your chin up.
Look for what is really valuable.

I agree with all of this. The network has changed so much an to be honest there's only so much super news I can watch in a day. There's no more blocks of vcc, it is all becoming too much like MTV. So current, if you're listening, your audience is ready to leave you. Most of us were told about current because of how different it was and we fell in love with it for that reason but now...Not so much.

I guess that infomania commercial with Brett talking about how they were going to outsource the show was actually right. Bummer.

Most profitable year to date for Current and they are laying off 80. Thanks Al!

I'm relatively new to Current TV, so I'm not sure what to think about the programming changes, although I do take issue with the layoffs when it's been the channel's most profitable year thus far and the job market is still dismal.

On the other hand, I'm not surprised. Current is also a business after all and that's just the way the cookie crumbles.

WELL I GUESS THAT THE JURY IS BACK IN ON THE NEW SHERIFF.

I know it sux to loose your job but If I had just lost my job. I would go find who took it and ask them if they are hiring. But hey I know every body is diffrent. My heart goes out to the people that lost there jobs. Just think now you can clean out the closet and the basment and have a yard sale. By the time your done with all that you will have desided what to do with yourself. Remember even the Greatest people had to reinvent them selves every now and then.

This is very troubling to me. I remember when Current TV started it out, it was about the viewers and they would reward viewers for submitting their vids. but now they are choosing profit over originality at the expense of hurting their employees. To b honest, they are doing less VC2 content and now it's all about shameles pluging products for their money. shame on you current shame on you