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Amazon is laying off hundreds of employees at its Prime Video and MGM studios divisions.
Mike Hopkins, who oversees those units, sent a note to employees on Wednesday informing them of the job cuts, according to a copy of the memo seen by CNBC. Amazon spokesperson has confirmed this layoff.
Hopkins said the company made the cuts to “prioritize our investment for the long-term success of our business.”
“Over the past year, we have reimagined nearly every aspect of our business with a view to improving our ability to deliver even more successful movies, TV shows and live sports with a personalized, easy-to-use entertainment experience for our global customers. ,'” Hopkins wrote in the memo. “As a result, we have identified opportunities to reduce or discontinue investments in certain areas while increasing our investment and focus on content and product initiatives that will have the greatest impact Is focused. As a result of these decisions, we will eliminate several hundred roles across Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios organizations.”
Amazon continues to cut its workforce after a year of mass layoffs. Starting in late 2022 and continuing through 2023, Amazon began the largest layoffs in its history, cutting more than 27,000 jobs across nearly every sector of the company.
Team,
We have taken important steps towards our long-term vision of making Prime Video the entertainment destination of choice for customers around the world, and I am proud of what we have achieved so far as a team. Our investment in programming, marketing and technology has allowed us to expand our selection of AVOD services including blockbuster movies, hit TV series, live sports, the world’s largest TVOD catalogue, as well as over 650 partner channels and freebies worldwide. Enabled – all available in a single destination, delighting customers around the world. And, through the acquisition of MGM, we have increased our investment in theatrical films and driven growth in MGM+ and our licensing and third-party production businesses.
Yet, at the same time, our industry is rapidly evolving and it is important that we prioritize our investments for the long-term success of our business, while focusing on what we know matters most to our customers. Focus consistently. Over the past year, we have focused on nearly every aspect of our business with a view to improving our ability to deliver even more successful movies, TV shows and live sports with a personalized, easy-to-use entertainment experience for our global customers. Have given. As a result, we have identified opportunities to reduce or discontinue investments in certain areas while increasing our investments and focusing on content and product initiatives that will have the greatest impact. As a result of these decisions, we will eliminate several hundred roles across Prime Video and the Amazon MGM Studios organization.
Today, we will begin reaching out to colleagues who are impacted by these role cuts. Notifications will be sent shortly, and we expect all notifications to be complete by this morning (Pacific Time) in the US and by the end of the week in most other regions. We are following local procedures, which may include time for consultation with employee representative bodies, which may potentially result in longer timelines for communication in some countries.,
This is a difficult decision and one I and my leadership team do not take lightly. It’s hard to say goodbye to talented Amazonians who have made meaningful contributions to our customers, teams and business. Thank you for your dedication and work. To assist in the transition, we are providing a package that includes severance pay, transitional benefits as applicable by country, and external job placement assistance.
We know that our prioritization of initiatives will move the needle, coupled with our continued investment in programming, marketing and product, will lead to an even stronger future for our business. Prime Video is one of the most popular benefits for Prime members, and one of the most widely used entertainment destinations in the world. I’m proud of the work you do every day on behalf of our clients and I look forward to continuing to build our business into the future.
-Mike
