Source: Stefanie Keenan/Getty
The tycoon's media company Byron Allen has begun a round of major layoffs, starting first with The weather channel and The Grio.
According References, Byron Allen's private media group has begun a round of layoffs at two of its properties, The Weather Channel and The Grio. In a statement released on Thursday (May 2), the company said: “Allen Media Group is making strategic changes to better position the company for growth that will result in cost and workforce reductions across all divisions,” before going on to say that the group will “We continue to perform well and in many areas our revenue growth has significantly outpaced the market. We are aligning these changes to drive future business opportunities and support our growth strategies in our rapidly evolving industry.”
The exact number of people laid off at The Weather Channel has not been disclosed, but it included station veterans such as on-air meteorologist Mike Seidel, who had been with the station since 1992. “I've done over 25,000 live shots during during my tenure at TWC, which includes all broadcast and cable news networks,” Seidel said of his 32-year career. Another senior producer, Trish Landers Ragdale, shared the news of her departure on social media. “After 14 years at The Weather Channel, I had to say goodbye. Certainly not by choice and not expected. At its best and at its worst, I was really proud to wear the TWC logo,” Ragdale said in the Reels video. Allen Media Group acquired The Weather Channel in 2018 for $300 million.
These layoffs come days after layoffs it happened at The Grio, affecting the video production staff and podcast team at the network with managing editor Christy Oglesby also being fired, according to a source. TheGrio was acquired by Allen Media Group in 2016 and is considered the largest black newsroom in the country. Allen reached a deal with Charter Communications in March to have the Spectrum owner carry The Grio and other offerings under its umbrella into its cable packages. Observers note that Allen may position himself for more acquisitions in the future. The mogul, who has a net worth of $735 million, previously made a $30 billion bid for Paramount Global and had also expressed interest in acquiring a stake in CNN and buying BET Media Group.
