MediaCorp and SPH complete staff rationalisation exercise

[bluetooth]

MediaCorp and SPH complete staff rationalisation exercise
Singapore, 7 December 2004 – MediaCorp and Singapore Press Holdings (“SPH”) have completed the staff rationalisation exercise following their agreement to merge their mass market TV and free newspaper operations.

The exercise, lasting about two months, involved the selection of staff needed to run the merged TV and Studio operations in which MediaCorp owns 80 per cent and SPH 20 per cent.

It was undertaken by a Manpower Synergy Committee chaired by MediaCorp independent board member, Mr Soo Kok Leng, and comprised heads of the Human Resources Divisions, Mr Wee Leong How of SPH and Mr Chua Hoe Sing of MediaCorp.

The Committee reviewed about 1,200 staff from both SPH MediaWorks (SPHMW) and two companies in the MediaCorp group, namely MediaCorp TV (MCTV) and MediaCorp Studios (MSD).

The rationalisation affects a total of 429 staff from SPH, the majority of whom are from SPHMW. Of these, 200 will be transferred to MediaCorp, 97 will be absorbed by SPH and 132 will be retrenched.

Besides the rationalisation of MCTV and MSD’s manpower undertaken by the Committee, MediaCorp separately reviewed its own staffing level with a view to enhancing efficiency further. Altogether, MediaCorp will be releasing 72 staff from across the group.

On the rationalisation of the merged TV and Studio operations, Mr Soo Kok Leng, Chairman of the Committee, said: “We evaluated staff from both parties on the principle of ‘best person for the job’, that is, people who can adapt, respond, anticipate and deliver to meet the future needs of the merged businesses. The individual’s performance is one of the key assessment criteria that we used.

“The process was open and transparent, with both sides taking a consultative approach at all times. I’m happy to report that the Committee has done its best in ensuring that the process has been fair, rigorous and thorough.”

Mr Wee Leong How, Executive Vice President of SPH's Human Resources Division, said: "I am satisfied that the Committee has done its best to save the maximum number of jobs. We have managed to secure jobs in the joint venture company for as many MediaWorks employees as we could. Separately, SPH has also managed to absorb almost a quarter of the affected MediaWorks and SPH TV News staff, who will be redeployed to other parts of the Group. "

Added Mr Chua Hoe Sing, Executive Vice President, Group Human Resource and Corporate Services of MediaCorp: "We had taken some time to conduct the review to ensure that the process was thorough, and that due consideration was given so that the right job goes to the right person."

The National Trades Union Congress has formed a task force under its Assistant Secretary General Mr Seng Han Thong which is facilitating the consultations between union and management on manpower rationalisation issues at the two media groups.

[ 21. December 2004, 01:01 AM: Message edited by: Bluetooth ]

[bluetooth]

Channel i to close on 1 January 2005
Channel U and Channel 8 to have complementary programming
SINGAPORE, 7 December 2004 - Following the announcement by MediaCorp and Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) to merge their mass market TV and free newspaper operations, the commercial viability of Channel i, the English language channel of SPH MediaWorks has been reviewed.

After careful consideration, the decision, jointly made by both MediaCorp and SPH MediaWorks, is to close down Channel i.

Both parties have concluded that Channel i is not commercially viable because of the fragmented and small English language TV market. Since Channel i started more than 3 years ago, advertising support had been weak. Turnaround in its operations is not expected any time soon.

Channel i will cease transmission on 1 January 2005.

Following the merger, the new holding company MediaCorp TV Holdings Pte Ltd, comprising MediaCorp TV Pte Ltd (MCTV) and MediaCorp Studios Pte Ltd, will operate four channels, namely Channels 5, 8, U and TV Mobile. The merger is expected to be legally completed by the end of this year, after which the holding company will be 80 per cent owned by MediaCorp and 20 per cent by SPH.

There will be minor interim changes to the programming schedule of Channel U in the first quarter of 2005 until MCTV introduces new complementary schedules for Channels 8 and U. These interim changes will be announced before 1 January 2005.

The other TV channels within the MediaCorp stable, such as Channel NewsAsia, Suria and Central, will continue to be 100 per cent owned by MediaCorp and run separately. Their operations will be unaffected by the merger.

[bluetooth]

Zhong Qing, Guo Liang, Ann Kok, Bryan Wong, Quan Yifeng, Adrian Pang, Sheng Qingshan, Zhang Haijie, Song yifie, Fu Fangling, Lin Minglun, Zhang Haijie goes to back to Mediacorp.

The rest all axed including Chen Huihui, Hong Rong, Fu Aini, Lin Minglun, Chen Hongyu, Chen Chuanzhi, Chen Yuyun, Wang Yanqing axed.

[ 07. December 2004, 12:31 PM: Message edited by: Bluetooth ]

[bluetooth]

亚洲新闻网] 新加坡消息，新加坡两大传媒机构新传媒和报业控股属下的大众电视频道合并后，双方将有超过200名员工遭到裁退。不过，当局表示，整 个人力审查行动是公开透明的。

新传媒电视晚间新闻狮城六点半报道，新传媒集团和新加坡报业控股在不久前宣布合并属下的大众电视频道。双方今天宣布，两家公司经 过一番审查之后，决定从明年1月1号起，关闭i频道。而第8波道和U频道，将会互相配合，为观众提供高素质的节目。

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两家公司都同意，i频道的市场生存能力不足，因为本地英语电视市场小，而且过度分化。i频道在三年前开台以来，广告收入一直都不理� ��，预计，它的营运情况，也不会在短期内回弹。

两家公司整合后，将成立新传媒电视控股。新公司也将接手报业传讯属下的U频道。

从明年1月1日起，U频道的节目编排，暂时会出现些微变动。细节会在1月1日前公布。

而从明年第二季度开始，第8波道和U频道，都将推出全新的节目编排，两台的节目将互相配合。新传媒属下的其他波道不受整合的影响。

人力资源方面，由两家公司代表所组成的委员会，共审查了两家公司的1200名员工。

报业传讯的429名员工，将受到整合行动的影响。当中200人将调动到新传媒集团，报业控股将吸纳97人，另外132人被裁退。

新传媒也自行检讨了本身的员工情况，并决定从各部门裁退72名员工，以进一步提高运作效率。

委员会表示，整个人力审查行动公开，而且透明。委员会的审查前提是，为每个职务挑选最佳的人选，并且决定哪些员工能够满足新环境 的需要。

全国职工总会已经设立了一个小组，协助两家公司解决人力资源整合方面的问题。

两台宣布，共有20名艺人会从报业传讯加入新传媒，其中包括钟琴、郭亮、权仪凤、谢韵仪、王禄江和张海洁。

另外，报业传讯有4名艺人会留在报业控股，从事促销、编辑等非演艺工作。

受整合影响，报业传讯的18名艺人会被裁退；新传媒则有4名艺人会离职。

在裁退金方面，报业控股一共支出530万新元，新传媒390万新元。在员工去留的问题上，委员会强调，筛选过程是公平的，因为他们要确保 留下来的职员是最优秀的员工。

[bluetooth]

Looks like I will stop watching CH U as the news will be scrapped and the current affairs programmes will not be hosted by Zhang haijie.

I never really watched Ch 8 for the past 4 yrs.

[ 17. December 2004, 02:36 AM: Message edited by: Bluetooth ]

[mediaworks]

It is indeed a pity that both are "merging".

[freezezly]

yah...didn't like the idea of them merging. nearly cried when i heard the news in september...

[mediaworks]

I think they're being "eaten up".

[freezezly]

the big brother copying the small one and bullies it. well, no choice...if only i have the money...haha

[mediaworks]

So, Singtel will eat up M1 and Starhub ?