Paramount Global begins planned layoffs with 15% job cuts in US

(Reuters) - Paramount Global will begin laying off 15% of its workforce in the United States starting Tuesday as part of its planned job cuts, the media giant said in an internal memo.

Paramount, which owns networks like CBS, MTV and Comedy Central, aims to reduce annual costs by $500 million and return to profitable growth ahead of its merger with David Ellison's Skydance Media.

In an internal memo, Paramount's co-CEOs stated that the company is at an "inflection point" where changes are necessary to strengthen the business.

The layoffs, which were announced during a post-earnings call last week, are expected to affect roughly 2,000 people. They will continue through the end of 2024, with 90% of the cuts expected to be completed by the end of September.

The restructuring comes as the New York-based company navigates a challenging linear TV market, having recently written down the value of its cable networks by nearly $6 billion.

The company's streaming division, which includes Pluto TV and Paramount+, reported its first quarterly profit in three years on Thursday,

(Reporting by Harshita Mary Varghese in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid)