MTV style

MTV Singapore downsizes, 84 axed
Zul Othmanzul@mediacorp.com.sg

AFTER days of speculation, MTV Networks Asia has confirmed the downsizing of its operations in Singapore, axing nearly half of its 192 staff here.

Some 84 full-time employees across all levels in its Singapore office were retrenched yesterday, as the company shifts more resources to individual local operations throughout the region.

MTV branches in India, Indonesia, China and Japan were not affected. Said Mr William Roedy, president of MTV Networks International: "We will lose a number of valued employees in the Singapore operation who have shown tremendous passion for our brand and audiences."

He denied suggestions that the retrenchment was due to falling advertising revenue or a response to the arrival of Hong Kong-based music station Channel V. Meanwhile, Mr Nigel Robbins will step down as president of MTV Networks Asia. Mr Steven Tan, the company's executive vice president and chief operating officer, will lead the business until a replacement for Mr Robbins is appointed.

This is not the first time the network has restructured: Last December, a similar exercise saw the retrenchment of 18 employees. Sources Today spoke said that while cutbacks had been expected, the axing of nearly half of Singapore's workforce came as a shock.

"It's been quite a sad day as everyone is affected," said one employee who asked not to be named.

"With all the rumours in the past few weeks, I suppose we all saw this coming. Still, to can so many is something we didn't expect. I guess we'll have to wait and see what other plans the company has for us."

Today understands that each retrenched employee will receive a severance package of one month's pay for each year of service.


This morning as I made my way into the office, it was a lot quieter than usual. It felt colder. Familiar desks that I have to pass by before I get to my desk have been stripped bare of decorations that used to make the working space a little bit more homely and lived-in. What used to be a happy environment, isn't that cheery anymore.

The thought of having a whole new (well, almost) set of colleagues and people to work with, to hang out during lunch-time when year 2007 rolls by... is.. unthinkable. I'm getting far too attached to this company, this group of colleagues than I know. It's hard to work here when the morale of fellow colleagues is still at rock-bottom.

I guess that's just life huh?