DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ As Amazon, Citigroup and Google open 2024 with layoffs, experts say unemployed workers should take these steps
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-12 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Jackyenjoyphotography | Moment | Getty ImagesThe start of 2024 has not been kind to workers in industries that opened the year with layoffs. Recent U.S. Department of Labor data shows layoffs have been hovering near historic lows — and experts say getting laid off no longer has the same stigma it once did. The following steps can help you shore up your finances and kick-start your job search. Calculate severance pay, unused time offYou may receive a severance package from your employer or get paid for unused time off. If you're able to find a new job quickly, you may be able to bank the severance pay, he noted.

Persons: Twitch, Scott Dobroski, Ted Jenkin, Atlanta . Jenkin, Vicki Salemi, Salemi, Jenkin, Dobroski, We've Organizations: Google, MGM Studios, Tech, Citigroup, U.S . Department of Labor, CNBC, Finance Locations: Atlanta .

☆ Leaked recording reveals Amazon Prime Video boss warning employees the unit hired too fast, months before layoffs
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. "That's a lot of growth," Hopkins said. Prime Video was the first to do a hiring freeze at Amazon in 2022 because the team was growing too fast, he added. Related storiesHopkins's comments show the exponential growth the Prime Video and MGM Studios team saw prior to Wednesday's layoffs. For years, Amazon has poured billions of dollars into its video streaming service, which is included in its Prime membership program.

Persons: Mike Hopkins, Hopkins, didn't Organizations: Amazon, MGM Studios, Business, BI, MGM, Football Locations: Amazon, headcount

☆ Amazon's Audible unit lays off about 5% of staff
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Annie Palmer | In Annierpalmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The Audible application is displayed on a smartphone in an arranged photograph taken in Arlington, Virginia, on May 21, 2020. Amazon 's Audible division is cutting approximately 5% of its staff in an effort to position the unit "for continued success," the executive overseeing the division told employees Thursday. The announced cuts follow the layoffs on Wednesday of hundreds of employees in Amazon's Prime Video, MGM Studios and Twitch livestreaming units. The unit has remained largely independent since the deal but is not immune to broader cuts underway at its parent. We are well positioned to continue our momentum and sustain the global growth that will keep us the leader in audio storytelling.

Persons: Bob Carrigan, we've, It's Organizations: Amazon's, MGM Studios, CNBC, Amazon, Global Locations: Arlington , Virginia

☆ Leaked email shows Amazon is slashing jobs in its Audible division, following job cuts at other teams
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Amazon is cutting 5% of the workforce at its Audible division, according to an internal email obtained by Business Insider. On Thursday, Audible's CEO Bob Carrigan wrote an email to his team notifying the "tough decision to reduce roles within our organization," the email said. The job cuts follow broader layoffs at other parts of Amazon this week. Internal messages suggest more job cuts in Amazon Pay and marketing roles, as BI previously reported . Amazon acquired Audible, which provides audiobooks and podcasts, for roughly $300 million in 2008.

Persons: Bob Carrigan, Carrigan, we've, It's, Eugene Kim Organizations: Service, Business, Amazon, MGM Studios, Pay, Global

☆ Amazon is laying off 'several hundred' employees across Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios — read the memo
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Lucia Moses | Kylie Kirschner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The company is laying off "several hundred" employees across Prime Video and Amazon MGM studios. "As a result of these decisions, we will be eliminating several hundred roles across the Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios organization." In April 2023, Amazon Studios (now Amazon MGM Studios) and Prime Video teams cut about 100 people — a tiny fraction of Amazon's 27,000 layoffs last year. As a result of these decisions, we will be eliminating several hundred roles across the Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios organization. Prime Video is one of the most popular benefits for Prime members, and one of most widely used entertainment destinations in the world.

Persons: Mike Hopkins, Hopkins, Amazon's, Jen Salke, Freevee, We've, we've, Amazonians who've, Mike Organizations: Service, Prime, MGM, Amazon MGM Studios, Business, Hollywood Reporter, Bloomberg, Hollywood, Amazon Studios Locations: Americas, Hollywood

☆ Amazon cuts hundreds of jobs in Prime Video and MGM Studios: Read the memo to employees
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Annie Palmer | In Annierpalmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Here's the full memo from Hopkins:Team,We've taken significant steps towards our long-term vision of making Prime Video the first-choice entertainment destination for customers worldwide, and I'm proud of everything we've accomplished as a team to date. And, through our acquisition of MGM, we've increased our investments in theatrical films and driven growth in MGM+ and our licensing and third-party production businesses. As a result of these decisions, we will be eliminating several hundred roles across the Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios organization. It is hard to say goodbye to talented Amazonians who've made meaningful contributions on behalf of our customers, team and business. Prime Video is one of the most popular benefits for Prime members, and one of most widely used entertainment destinations in the world.

Persons: We've, we've, Amazonians who've, Mike Organizations: Amazon, Hopkins, MGM, Prime, Amazon MGM Studios Locations: Americas

☆ Amazon will cut hundreds of jobs, including at game streaming firm Twitch
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Clare Duffy | Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Amazon on Wednesday cut hundreds of jobs across two different business units: streaming platform Twitch and its film and television studios division. Amazon is cutting “several hundred” roles across Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, according to an internal note shared with CNN. In addition, video game streaming company Twitch, which is owned by the tech giant, said Wednesday it is laying off 500 workers as part of ongoing cost-cutting efforts. Wednesday’s announcement comes after Twitch laid off 400 workers in March of last year as part of broader cuts at parent company Amazon. The layoffs point to ongoing challenges at Twitch, although Amazon does not break out specific results for the unit.

Persons: Mike Hopkins, “, ”, Hopkins, Dan Clancy, Twitch, we’ve, ” Clancy, Clancy, Dataminr Organizations: New, New York CNN, Amazon, Amazon MGM Studios, CNN, MGM, Amazon Prime, Bloomberg, Google, Spotify Locations: New York

☆ Amazon lays off more than 500 employees in its Twitch unit
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Annie Palmer | In Annierpalmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Last March, Twitch let go of roughly 400 staffers, and it cut some employees in its customer experience division last October. Amazon has undergone the largest layoffs in its history, cutting 27,000 employees since 2022. The cuts have been ongoing, with Amazon announcing layoffs in its Prime Video and MGM Studios units on Wednesday. So while the Twitch business remains strong, for some time now the organization has been sized based upon where we optimistically expect our business to be in 3 or more years, not where we're at today. If your role is affected by this decision and you live in the US, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, or Singapore.

Persons: Twitch, Emmett Shear, Clancy, Doug Scott, Laura Lee, we've, you've, Lauren Nunes, Dan Organizations: Amazon, MGM Studios, Clancy, Team Locations: Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Singapore, Twitch

☆ Amazon insiders are bracing for changes at Freevee now that Prime Video is adding ads
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-08 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewSpeculation about the future of Amazon's free, ad-supported streamer Freevee is swirling now that sibling service Prime Video is about to launch ads itself. People who work for the service have been reassigned or told they'll add Prime Video duties, said three insiders familiar with the matter. Ryan Pirozzi, who previously ran the business side of Freevee, is now head of Prime Video Channels, US. People who worked on Freevee teams will be doing double duty for Prime Video, a sign that Amazon no longer sees Freevee as a freestanding business. Amazon describes Freevee as a service, with Amazon MGM Studios, Amazon's film and TV division, developing the content for Prime Video and Freevee.

Persons: —, Lauren Anderson —, Ryan Pirozzi, Freevee, James Marsden, It's, Jenny Burke Organizations: Service, Business, Amazon MGM Studios, Amazon, Freevee . Company, Hollywood, Prime, Freevee, Video Locations: Freevee

☆ Young Cyber Companies Face Uncertain Economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( James Rundle | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

Newer cybersecurity companies are grappling with uncertain economic conditions as they find it harder to raise capital, continue to trim their workforces and refocus on profits after long periods of chasing growth. Fed by a glut of venture-capital investment, many private cybersecurity providers hired widely and expanded their operations significantly in recent years. Newsletter Sign-up WSJ Pro Cybersecurity Cybersecurity news, analysis and insights from WSJ's global team of reporters and editors. Cybereason, a Boston-based security company, raised $100 million in Series G financing in early April, led by SoftBank. The company’s chief executive, Lior Div, was replaced by SoftBank executive Eric Gan, with Mr. Div taking on an advisory role.

Cinemas stocks got a boost Wednesday after a report said Amazon plans to spend $1 billion a year on theatrical film releases. The tech company plans to make between 12 and 15 movies for movie theaters each year, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. A smaller number of films will be produced in 2023 as Amazon builds up its output, the report said. Amazon has deepened its investments in original content over the years through its Prime Video streaming unit, as well as its movie and television studios. Earlier this year, the e-retailer bolstered its media ambitions when it acquired legendary movie maker MGM Studios for $8.45 billion.

Reyes said Hollywood films often reflected the politics of their time — and that had an influence on Latino roles. Studies by the Government Accountability Office, the University of Southern California and other groups consistently show that Latinos are underrepresented in the film industry. Just this year, UCLA’s Hollywood Diversity Report documented “enormous gains” by women and people of color, but Latino representation still lagged. Slowly but surely, we are shaking up the narrative in Hollywood.”Calderón is frustrated by the continuing practice of “brownface,” whereby Latino roles go to white actors. Sanchez cited Eugenio Derbez in “Coda” (2021) as an example of a well-written Latino film character.

☆ The Last Word: Angela Lansbury
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Mervyn Rothstein | Kassie Bracken | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +11 min

In between, Angela Lansbury’s career spanned seven decades and countless transformations on stage, screen and television. It was missing the night of the fire.” “Jessica Fletcher was probably about as close not to me, but to the sort of woman that I might have been had I not been an actress.” Angela Brigid Lansbury was born in London in 1925. I didn’t know anything. ‘This could be it.’ And I had a special dress made and, oh, I don’t know, It’s just — I think soon after that, I came to New York.” In the mid-’60s, Angela Lansbury returned to the theater. In 2009, she won her fifth Tony Award for playing Madame Arcati in “Blithe Spirit.” Ms. Lansbury was 83 years old.

☆ 8 companies Amazon, Microsoft, or Google might buy as they shop for deals amid the market downturn, including Workday, Unity, and Roku
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-15 | by ( Belle Lin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

That means Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud could be poised for a merger-and-acquisition spree. As for cloud acquisitions, analysts said Amazon's cloud unit didn't often buy companies. Cybersecurity has been a greater focus for Microsoft, AWS, and Google Cloud after the hack of the IT-software company SolarWinds in 2020. In 2019, Google purchased the data-analytics company Looker for $2.6 billion in cash under Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian. With Kurian at the helm, bringing with him the Oracle acquisition playbook, Google Cloud may now have a bigger M&A appetite.

Search resuls for: "MGM Studios"

14 mentions found