Paramount Skydance has initiated a significant downsizing effort, with plans to lay off the first 1,000 of 2,000 employees and close the CBS News bureau in Johannesburg, South Africa, as part of its extensive cost-reduction strategy.
While the initial round of layoffs primarily affects workers in the United States, it also includes the closure of the Johannesburg office. A subsequent round of layoffs is expected, targeting approximately 1,000 workers in both the U.S. and globally.
Debora Patta, a prominent figure in CBS News South Africa and renowned for her international reporting, has been particularly impacted. After signing a new three-year contract with CBS in August, Patta has reportedly been let go. She is contemplating legal action against the network, as CBS is allegedly failing to provide her with a full payout despite the recent contract.
Patta, who recently advanced to senior foreign correspondent, has delivered exceptional coverage over the years, including significant assignments in Africa and the Middle East, and has been a regular presence on various CBS programs, including the CBS Evening News.
As CBS News navigates this restructuring, oversight of South Africa and the African continent will be shifted to the CBS News bureau in London.
Additionally, reports indicate that workers at Paramount Africa in Johannesburg may also face layoffs, with the possibility of shutting down the company’s local operations in South Africa and Nigeria. Paramount Africa, headquartered in Bryanston, Johannesburg, is led by senior vice president Craig Paterson and Monde Twala, who has informed staff that the company is reassessing its strategy for pay-TV and local channels in the African market.
