DISH Network is cutting jobs as the company moves to reduce operational costs and expenses throughout the business. DISH Network has been restructuring the company since 2020, and this is not the first round of layoffs to have occurred since. DISH has laid off around 3,000 employees in recent years. The total number of cuts is unknown, but it is reportedly a major round of layoffs, with some employees claiming up to 20% of the staff was cut. A number that DISH has disputed but declined to comment on the total number of layoffs. This is the second major round of layoffs at DISH in 2023 as this summer, DISH also had a round of layoffs.
“While we don’t disclose exact numbers, I can tell you that 20% is not an accurate estimate. The number of impacted employees is considerably less than that. Over 500 employees have been impacted in Colorado, and when there is a reduction, we follow all state and federal guidelines.” A DISH spokes person said in a statement to Cord Cutters News.
“Like most businesses, we continually evaluate and make adjustments to ensure we’re set up for long-term success. We made the difficult decision to part ways with some team members due to changing business demands on some teams. Impacted employees will be notified by the end of the week. A WARN notice has been filed with the Colorado Department of Labor and both the Englewood and Littleton mayor offices.” DISH went on to say.
Earlier this week, DISH announced its 3rd quarter 2023 earnings and reported that DISH and Sling TV lost 64,000 subscribers. Sling TV added 117,000, and DISH lost 181,000 subscribers. In total, DISH now has 8,840,000 pay TV customers between the two brands, down from 8,904,000 during the same period in 2022. Sling TV now has 2.12 million subscribers, and DISH has 6.72 million subscribers. The good news for DISH is that Sling TV turned around recent losses as it returns to growth.
DISH Network has been updating its network to increase coverage of its new 5G wireless network, which has proven costly. The company has also been considering merging with DIRECTV for years, though its financial state has been holding up any potential agreement. As reported this summer, DISH has agreed to merge with EchoStar, a satellite communications provider. It is possible that DISH’s cuts this week are part of preparing for the newly merged company with Sling.
DISH’s current CEO will also be stepping down next week, with the CEO of EchoStar taking over to lead both companies as they prepare for the official merger.