Did you hear some people were laid off/had their jobs eliminated at Discovery nets? We heard last week, but out of respect for the afflicted and those remaining, we sat on it. C21 actually just picked up the story this morning. Nothing official and details are sketchy as to how many might be leaving, but so far, we know it includes some marketing positions but, notably for us on the programming side, also Steve Cheskin (TLC), Dan Russell (APL), Jeff Hasler (TLC), Doug Bailey (just about every network at one time or another).
Every company is out there trying to save money, and often times, the best way to save a lot is eliminate a job that pays a lot. That’s what had to have happened, because every one of these four have contributed hugely over the years … many years! Dan and Steve were part of the original team that launched Discovery. Cheskin returned less than two years ago after pushing WEtv to its next level. None of them were told it was a work or performance issue; money saving, all the way.
Hey, we get it. We’re all adults, we know how it works. This is not a “they shouldn’t have done that” comment. It’s a “too bad they felt they had to.” Each and everyone of these guys were accessible and passionate about their jobs, helped grow the company, and were good ambassadors for Discovery. But economic reasons, in and outside of any company or sector, can trigger layoffs/job drops, even when a company is doing well.
It’s a shame. And it tells me a couple things: The smart money is saying the recession is not over and, because of that, no one’s job is ever totally safe.
Sleep well … but if you know Dan, Steve, Jeff, Doug and the other unfolding names, give ‘em a shout or post a comment here that tells everyone you’re thinking of them.
I wonder if the same thing would have happened if Discovery was still a private company? Perhaps then “Shareholder Values” would not have trumped human values. And perhaps, at least, they would have been let go AFTER Christmas.
Best of luck to this very talented group of executives in landing their next jobs!
-David Fox
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