Content company Entertainment One, about a year after being bought by toy maker Hasbro in a deal valued at about $3.8 billion, cut between 50 and 60 workers in its TV and Film divisions on Tuesday. 

The news was first reported by Deadline.com. 

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According to a memo obtained by Deadline and confirmed by the company, TV and Film president Steve Bertram notified employees of the layoffs Tuesday. In the memo, Bertram spoke of the ongoing shift toward “greater control and creative stewardship” of the TV and Film business, adding that it was in response to the disruption of the traditional studio model by tech companies, accelerated by the pandemic.

Bertram continued that as a result, about 10% of the TV and Film workforce were let go, and the company is speaking with other employees about possible changes to their roles.

Reports estimated that eOne has about 1,200 employees globally, with about half of those workers housed in TV and Film production, meaning between 50-to-60 workers were likely affected worldwide.  

“These team members have delivered outstanding work and demonstrated a staunch devotion to eOne throughout their respective tenures and we are immensely grateful to them all,” Bertram wrote, adding that departing workers will receive severance and healthcare packages.

“To those departing today and over the next few weeks, I want to thank each of you for your contributions to eOne and offer both my assistance and that of our senior leaders as you think about the future,” he added.

EOne produces movies, TV shows and music. In the TV space, it produced kids fare like Peppa Pig, Power Rangers and Transformers; broadcast shows like The Rookie and Designated Survivor and scripted and unscripted cable shows like Hell on Wheels for AMC Networks, Streets of Compton for A+E Networks, and Growing Up Hip Hop for WE TV.  

Hasbro paid about $3.8 billion in cash for eOne in December 2019. The purchase was expected to unlock film franchise opportunities for Hasbro toy lines and plans to produce projects based on Dungeons and Dragons, My Little Pony, Power Rangers and the board game Risk had been announced earlier last year.

EOne shut down its German theatrical distribution business in October according to reports and in 2019 stopped direct theatrical distribution in Australia and New Zealand. In May, it hired former HBO programming executive Michael Lombardo to head up its TV division. Lombardo left HBO in 2016 and spent several years as an independent producer.

CBS said Wednesday that it has secured a long-term lease on a 260,000-square-foot facility in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada for a new TV and film product studio -- dubbed “CBS Stages Canada” -- that it plans to officially unveil by the middle of next year.

The new multi-use production facility, located 18-miles from downtown Toronto, will include six soundstages, production offices, support facilities and auxiliary services for large-scale television and film production. The new facility also will provide additional production space for CBS Television Studios’ expanding roster of television programming across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. Currently, the Studio produces 63 series, including shows for the CBS Television Network, The CW, the CBS All Access streaming service and for networks and platforms outside of CBS.

“CBS has a strong production history in Canada,” CBS Television Studios president David Stapf said in a statement. “The Toronto area specifically has provided our series with diverse and appealing locations as well as production infrastructure and crafts expertise that cannot be easily found. These new stages will provide valuable resources and additional capacity for our Company’s growing production slate.”

CBS expects the new studio to bring in hundreds of new jobs, through construction, ongoing facility management, production and crafts and is currently working with local and provincial officials to secure permits and drawing up architectural plans for the project, expected to open in mid-2019. Toronto-based production executives John Weber and Frank Siracusa (executive producers on CBS Television Studios’ Star Trek: Discovery) will oversee the development of the project and ongoing management of the production facility.

Currently, CBS Television Studios shoots Star Trek: Discovery and In the Dark in Toronto, in addition to several other productions in Canada, including the reboot of Charmed.

Viacom executive chairman and CEO Philippe Dauman said Tuesday the programmer has started the process to explore opportunities for "a significant strategic minority equity investment" in movie studio Paramount Pictures. Dauman made the announcement at the Jefferies Media & Communications Conference in New York City.

“We have received indications of interest from potential partners seeking a strategic investment in Paramount Pictures and I have decided to pursue discussions with a select group of potential investors,” Dauman said, according to a company statement. “In this time of change and enormous opportunity in our industry, a partnership will bring significant benefit to Paramount and Viacom, both strategically and financially, provide new opportunities for Paramount’s employees and talent, and enhance long-term value for all Viacom shareholders.”

“Paramount Pictures has been a leading motion picture studio for more than a century and is among a select few that has significant reach and scale, a deep library, a robust pipeline with proven global franchises, and a high potential television production operation,”  Dauman added. “In addition, the value of motion picture content continues to increase with the explosion of screens and the rapid expansion of the global theatrical market. This is the perfect time to explore new strategies to capitalize on Paramount’s content expertise and global platform, maximize opportunities for its continued growth, and unlock the value of the business for the benefit of shareholders.”

Viacom has retained PJT Partners as its financial advisor to assist with the process.

U.S. Hispanics who prefer to consume SportsCenter in Spanish on ESPN Deportes can now enjoy the technology and look and feel of English-language SportsCenter telecasts, thanks to the launch of a state-of-the-art facility in Mexico City.

ESPN Deportes christened the new, four-studio production center on Dec. 7 at 11:30 p.m. (ET), following the network's Monday Night Football broadcast. Carolina Padron, Ciro Procuna and Jorge Eduardo Sanchez continue as SportsCenter anchors for ESPN Deportes.

The studio is designed to enhance content presentation for the viewer, increase consumer engagement, and provide a better stage for ESPN Deportes anchors, Rodolfo Martinez, vice president of production for ESPN International and ESPN Deportes, said.

The studio upgrade comes 10 months after one of its primary competitors, Fox Deportes, gave a facelift to its own signature in-studio sports news program, Central Fox.

ESPN’s new Mexico City studio space is the result of growth at ESPN Deportes that led to limit studio space, Martinez said in an interview.

“We built our first studios in Mexico City 12 years ago with the objective of serving ESPN Deportes only," he said. "Then, the network produced two shows. Now, we offer 10 hours of programming each day."

By bringing the presentation and technology of ESPN Deportes's version of SportsCenter in line with ESPN’s, U.S. Hispanic sports fans are receiving the best programming available, regardless of their language preference, Martinez said.

“The product and ESPN Deportes’s different platforms have become crucial for the growth of our brand in the U.S.,” he said. “These upgrades were done in Miami, Los Angeles, and in Bristol, Conn., and, come Jan. 4, all of our programming will be presented with full HD migration.”

A sleeker look and feel for SportsCenter isn't the only upgrade on ESPN Deportes’s Christmas Wish List that has been by The Walt Disney Co.

On Dec. 1, ESPN relaunched its Spanish-language websites across the globe, including ESPNDeportes.com, its primary destination for U.S. Hispanics.

Built on the technology infrastructure and design elements seen on ESPN.com, which received its own overhaul in April of 2015, ESPNDeportes.com is now designed to load faster and boasts improved site navigation.

The new ESPNDeportes.com now automatically adjusts to any screen, regardless of device or platform.

“Bringing a uniformly great experience to sports fans all over the world is central to our mission at ESPN,” ESPN executive vice president of digital and print media John Kosner said.

New Spanish-language editions of the ESPN app will come next spring.

MLB Network will open the real Opening Day with its first-ever regular-season morning show.

The 70-million subscriber service on April 6 will premiere MLB Central at 10 a.m. (ET). Hosted by Matt Vasgersian, Mark DeRosa and Lauren Shehadi, MLB Central will be the first program to originate from MLBN’s new, state-of-the-art Studio 21, named in honor of Hall of Famer and humanitarian Roberto Clemente.

MLB Central will feature the perspectives of the show’s hosts, from Vasgersian’s irreverent style and his experience as an announcer at every level in the game, to DeRosa’s unique outlook as a former teammate of more than 200 current Major Leaguers from his 16-year MLB career with eight different clubs, and Shehadi’s authentic personality and interview style from three years of hosting MLB Network’s The Rundown and the off-season morning show Hot Stove.

Each show will begin with an opening that includes 21 Major Leaguers and four club mascots, followed by “The Wake-Up Call,” a segment taking a fresh look at the biggest highlights and news stories in the game. DeRosa will give his pointed opinion on the latest on-field performances in “The D-Train,” and the show’s analysts will give their daily take on the hottest players and best moves in the world of fantasy.

Featured in the MLB Central opening: Jose Abreu, Jose Altuve, Jose Bautista, Michael Brantley, Robinson Cano, Miguel Cabrera, Gerrit Cole, Jose Fernandez, Paul Goldschmidt, Carlos Gomez, Bryce Harper, Matt Harvey, Felix Hernandez, Eric Hosmer, Adam Jones, Matt Kemp, Andrew McCutchen, Devin Mesoraco, Max Scherzer, Giancarlo Stanton, Mike Trout, Baxter The Bobcat, Billy The Marlin, Mr. Met & the Phillie Phanaticbaseball.

“The launch of MLB Central is a natural continuation of the way we’ve built out our live programming schedule since MLB Network’s debut in 2009, and we’re excited to debut our first regular season morning show in our newest studio space,” said network president Rob McGlarry. “MLB Network has a tradition of celebrating legendary players of the game, starting with Studio 3 and Studio 42, named in tribute to Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson. As we take the next step in our history, it is with tremendous respect that we call our latest facility ‘Studio 21,’ in honor of Hall of Famer and humanitarian Roberto Clemente.”

Starting on Opening Day, the 8,000-square-foot Studio 21 also will be home to MLB Now and Quick Pitch. The new space will employ at least five multicamera studio positions and cutting-edge technology adaptable to any show, story or club, from hanging video displays to augmented reality graphic components.

Studio 21 also combines elements of a traditional ballpark with the latest in modern TV technology. The walls of the studio resemble the exterior of a ballpark, including a 1,800-square foot courtyard, six-foot tall entrance gates, and a brick pattern on the floor. Given its namesake, the studio design pays tribute to Roberto Clemente, with a seven-foot bronze medallion bearing Clemente’s uniform number “21” and a 15-foot wide “Studio 21” sign in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ signature block lettering at the entrance. Photos of Clemente are featured throughout the space, and his is one of five framed jerseys on display, among fellow Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Lou Gehrig, Tony Gwynn and Kirby Puckett.

The walls of the studio are lined with nearly 1,400-square feet in high-resolution LED displays and, in the studio’s premiere feature, 14 back-to-back 55-inch monitors are suspended from the ceiling to be rotated, raised and lowered in synchronized timing as well as according to specific show content and direction.

The regional sports network with the largest reach is now enhancing its telecasts from a state-of-the-art production center and studio.

After a six-month renovation, Fox Sports South unveiled a new state-of-the-art facility at its Colony Square location in midtown Atlanta last month.  There, the RSN is currently producing pre- and post-game shows and other  flanking programming for the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies, as well as college sports fare that airs on other Fox networks is syndicated to other RSNs.

The 1,800-square-foot studio is one of the most technologically advanced for an RSN, utilizing Viz Multiplay from Vizrt that provides the production team with a simple, flexible way to control content across multiple studio screens from a single interface.

“This is not used widely on the regional level,” said Fox Sports South senior vice president and general manager Jeff Genthner, who leads the service that counts 13 million subscribers in Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee and the Carolinas.  

The studio also sports a modern, broadcast network look. “We were lucky to have Gary Hartley work with us,” he said, referring to Fox Sports Media Group executive vice president and creative director, the man responsible for designing the NFL on Fox studio set and Fox Sports robot.

“With the studio renovation, our intention was to create a sense of ‘place’ for the fan,” said Hartley. “We hope they feel that this is their home - for their teams - and that the studio feels comfortable and approachable.”

The process began last May, when Genthner said the facility was “put off line and personnel relocated throughout the building.” It also meant that the RSN wielded an upgraded truck, as Atlanta Braves games and related fare all were produced remotely through the end of the 2014 MLB season.

With construction and the updrades completed, the studio reopened in mid-October, with fresh editions of The New College Football Show and ACC Gridiron Live!

“It’s all been great right out of the box,” said Genthner. “There haven’t been any hiccups.”

The main studio now showcases 10 monitors: five large screens behind the desk, which is flanked by a pair on either side, and one within the central structure (pictured, above).

The facility also provides versatility, with separate studios featuring sport-appropriate designs where discussions and demonstrations surroud basketball (court), football (field) and baseball (diamond).

Genthner said Fox Sports South is contemplating a hockey addition. Presently, flanking fare for the network’s pro hockey clubs,’ the Nashville Predators and Carolina Hurricanes, is being produced on-site and from the road.

There is also “a conversation deck,” where players and team executives engage in front of an appropriate plexiglass backdrop, say for Hawks’ baseball, or the Fox Sports globe (pictured, right).

Genthner said all of Fox Sport South’s major “customers” demand high-level productions.

“With the high-definition format and digital signals, viewers expect a network quality experience from regional sports networks,” he said. “Our MPVD partners want us to providing high-quality, high-production value throughout the week, and sponsors want to run their commercials from top-level programming."

As for teams, Genthner said there are three options: “They can go elsewhere, or start their own network, or they can renew. You certainly want them to return. We want to provide great presentations for all of our constituents.

A fifth group is also benefiting from the upgraded facilities. As mentioned earlier, the first shows produced from new studio in mid-October The New College Football Show and ACC Gridiron LIVE!,  run on other Fox RSNs or are syndicated to other sports networks like MSG Plus.

“By running the shows across the RSN and selling to others, we’re generating revenues. That helps justify the investment," which Genthner put in the “multiples of million dollars.”

FS South is also considering adding weekly ACC basketball show. “It’s on the chalkboard,” he said.

It’s all a far cry from when Fox Sports South bowed in 2005 with 25 Braves games. Today, the network holds the rights to all of the MLB squad’s regional games.

Last month, Fox Sports South renewed a long-term deal with the Hawks. Genthner also said the RSN has a long-term pact in place with the ACC, and signed the Hurricanes and Predators to new deals over the past two or three years.  For their part, the Grizzlies and Hornets are in the Fox camp several more seasons. 

“We’re in good shape from a rights’ perspective,” he said.

Fox Sports South is also in a good Nielsen place with its pro hockey and basketball teams early in their 2014-15 campaigns.  

After 14 games on spinoff Fox Sports Tennessee, Predators’ ratings have surged 88% in the Nashville DMA from the corresponding span last season.

On the hardwood, Hawks’ ratings on Sports South were up 30% in the Atlanta area through the first 10 telecasts, while Hornets ratings rose 50% through 15 games in the Charlotte DMA.

As for the Grizzlies, the holder of the NBA’s best record, the Marc Gasol-led club has generated ratings of 4.2 better in three of its last four games in Memphis.   

Key Specs for Fox Sports South Revamped Studio Facility in Atlanta

StudioSize:

Over 1,800 square feet

Production Floor (four sections):

Anchor desk

Demonstration area with multiple floors

Baseball field

Hardwood basketball floor

Football turf

Seated interview area

Green screen wall

Monitors: 11 total

Five 75-inch monitors and two stacked columns with two 55-inch monitors each surrounding the news desk that are all controlled by the Viz Multiplay system

One 46-inch monitor in the seated interview area

One 55-inch monitor in the anchor desk for interchangeable program titles and presenting sponsor branding

·Cameras:

Four Ikegami news cameras; three on pedestals and one on a jib

·Anchor Desk:

State-of-the-art, four-person desk modeled after the Fox Super Bowl and Fox World Series desks – the first of its kind for a Fox Sports regional network

Interchangeable LED lighting for consistent team branding and colors

Green Factor:

The all LED lighting reduces room heating load leading to decreased cooling needs and less electricity usage, bringing significant cost savings in the long term

Fox Sports South is the first regional studio among the Fox Sports Regional Networks to use all LED lighting

Key Principals:

Texolve, Oakmont, PA – Systems Integrator

Tishman Speyer, Atlanta – Building Management

Turner Construction Company, Atlanta – Construction/Contractor

Source: Fox Sports South