The takeover of Oxygen by NBC Universal has now lead to 25% of Oxygen's employees being let go, per this Variety article. "We have consolidated functions and operations, resulting in job impact," said J.B. Perrette, president of distribution for NBCU. Can't you just see Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) delivering that line. "Job Impact." I love wordspin. Not "We just told 65 people that come the New Year they'll be on the streets looking for work" but "We told 65 people that their jobs have been impacted."
"Oh, how so? Are my hours going to change?" "No, no. Impacted as in like compacted, as in destroyed. You don't have a job." The generic statement that some will be offered positions elsewhere within the NBCU empire was of course given. Maybe they can be hired to develop crappy reality series for NBC's 2008 slate, in case they don't have enough already. Oprah, who helped found Oxygen, can fill her studio audience with them and give them all jobs somewhere in her empire ("Look under your seats!" ... queue screaming ... NOW!).
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The Upfronts: CBS
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-04-2007 @ 3:32PM
Karen said...
You say this with such animosity as if they NBC should have done something different? It is a business. They need to be profitable and report to their shareholders. When businesses merge, duplicate positions are eliminated. I don't get what the problem is here?
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