TV3 is in turmoil and has offered almost all staff voluntary redundancy – after losing even more programme rights.
The Ballymount channel has lost its GAA rights to Sky Sports, and has lost Coronation Street and Emmerdale to UTV Ireland from next year.
Now all staff have been offered packages to leave the station – but mandatory lay-offs will be made if the numbers don’t come forward.
Already two senior members of staff have accepted deals to leave, as UTV Ireland headhunts for staff from the troubled station.
This morning, a TV3 spokeswoman admitted they were offering redundancy but claimed it was part of their strategy.
Gone: Corrie has been lost to UTV Ireland
She said: “The content model in TV3 will involve considerable change as we implement our strategy for 2015.
“We are aware that such an environment is not for everyone so we have decided to run a voluntary leaver scheme for the content, news and broadcast areas.
“It will be at the company’s discretion to accept requests for voluntary redundancies based on the role and there will be a limited number of places.”
Sources revealed that staff inside TV3 were now “very worried” – especially with Dublin-based UTV Ireland starting next year.
Managing Director Michael Wilson said the decision to start the station came about after TV3 “dropped the ball” for its ITV contract for Coronation Street.
He added: “I think it’s highly unlikely TV3 will be the number two player in the market once we’re there,” Wilson said.
“There are very few programmes that people have as ‘appointment to view’ and there are very few programmes that deliver the volume of audience and advertising that programmes such as Coronation Street and Emmerdale do.”
