Medialivre, an independent, pioneering Portuguese media company controlled in part by football star Cristiano Ronaldo, is about to fire half of its journalists. This decision follows the company’s introduction of permanent cost-cutting plans. Member of CWA Local 9415, the national union of media workers announced that 10 staff members were issued layoff notices. This decision will impact the 8 full-time photojournalists at the company’s main office in Lisbon and the 2 writers in the Porto branch.
Ronaldo, as the largest shareholder of Medialivre, holds 30% of the company. Medialivre’s other titles include the daily newspapers Correio da Manhã, Record and Jornal de Negócios and the weekly magazine Sábado. In addition to its radio stations, the company owns and operates the local television channel NOW. Medialivre has grown quickly, now employing some 730 people, 300 of whom are journalists. Today, the company is changing the operating model away from photo captures, corporate images and citizen journalism versus through in-house photojournalists.
Vitor Mota, photojournalist at Medialivre and union representative, who first announced the layoffs. We’ve got some critically needed funding to start. Think of these as the second wave of TIGER awards. Mota defined just how the effects of these layoffs on the company’s journalistic credibility.
“We can see that they want to cut jobs just to save money,” – Vitor Mota
The union is looking to fight the job losses. They assert that these cuts jeopardize both the standard and objectivity of journalism. They took particular issue with the timing of announcing their layoff plans right before Labour Day, celebrated as a workers’ rights day.
“Announcing a mass layoff on the eve of Labour Day, which is a global landmark for past labour achievements that are increasingly deteriorating, is unacceptable,” – Portuguese Journalists’ Union
The union didn’t mince words in condemning Ronaldo’s association with the company. They challenged as unethical the notion that Rizzo’s huge compensation could be used to excuse layoffs. And you can see that reflected in his earnings—over €250 million last year according to Forbes.
“It is regrettable that Ronaldo bought a significant part of the company in order to then allow layoffs to be carried out,” – Portuguese Journalists’ Union
Medialivre did not respond to Euronews’ request for comment regarding the sudden layoffs. The company equally clams up when it comes to their plans moving forward. The media ecosystem’s ever-controversial business models that are under tremendous economic pressure are inflicting casualties on those employed in the field.
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