Sky Puts 900 Roles in Jeopardy in Significant Restructuring for Competition Against US Streaming Services

Sky has announced that 900 positions are currently under threat as the broadcaster pushes forward with reshaping its business model in the streaming era.

Workforce Changes

The company, which has roughly 23,000 staff in the UK, anticipates that the consultation process will lead to about 600 roles eliminated, with a further 300 redeployed within the organization.

New Offerings

This latest round of reductions – representing the third such move within just 18 months – follows a number of new releases, including an updated version of its smart TV and a more affordable option.

Company Direction

The Comcast-owned broadcaster is focused on improving existing services, with the cuts mainly affecting the firm’s tech and product teams along with associated business divisions.

Starting of last year, Sky has cut nearly 3,500 positions as it moves away from traditional satellite television services toward streaming-based offerings as it competes with American leaders such as Netflix.

In total, since Comcast acquired Sky for £31bn in 2018, around 6,000 roles have been removed from the organization.

Streaming Adoption

The company believes that more than 90% of new subscriptions now come through internet-based products such as its streaming television and an innovative internet TV device.

“In recent years, Sky has launched a range of industry-leading products such as our high-speed internet service,” stated a company spokesperson. “These innovations are now widely adopted and enjoyed by millions of customers, strengthening Sky’s standing for innovation and excellent support. As we look ahead, we are changing our strategy to bring customers a new era of experience by focusing on digital-first service, unbeatable content, and even better performance from our products.”

Previous Job Cuts

In March, Sky announced plans to reduce 2,000 jobs at its support facilities and closed three locations.

The company explained that these closures would help it become “future-ready” as it transitioned from telephone customer interactions to online support.

In January of last year, Sky cut about 800 positions, mainly from its team of home setup technicians, as more consumers move away from satellite dishes and set-top boxes in favor of easy-to-use online options.

Content Partnership

Earlier this year, Sky struck a deal with Warner Bros Discovery, which owns popular film studios and hit HBO shows.

This arrangement will result in Warner’s digital platform becoming accessible through Sky, though it also resulted in the end of sole distribution privileges for some programs.

Tammy Smith
Tammy Smith

A passionate football journalist with over 10 years of experience covering Italian football and Serie B teams.