20 jobless as Discovery axes pan-European ad sales team

by Tristan O'Carroll, Media Week 08-Jan-08

Discovery Networks International has decided to close its London-based pan-European ad sales operation, resulting in the loss of 20 employees.

Following a review by Arthur Bastings, managing director of Discovery
Networks Europe, the factual entertainment company is axing the
operation in response to what it termed "decreasing demand" for

pan-European ad sales deals from clients. Many of the team's employees

have left the company, although some are working notice periods.

A company statement said: "As a result of the closure, Discovery
Networks EMEA will no longer market direct to European pan-regional
clients."

In future, international deals will be run out of New York, Singapore
and Hong Kong.

The closure of its pan-European ad sales operation marks the growing
maturation of Discovery's international business. When Discovery first
launched in the UK and Europe in the 1990s, most of its services were
pan-European in nature. Today, it operates 12 TV channels via 44 feeds
across Europe and can offer clients more targeted campaigns.

Discovery's ad sales operations now cover numerous territories and it
has teams in specific markets such as Spain. The pan-European team
closure does not affect local ad sales teams based in markets such as
Central Europe.

Sky Media continues to handle Discovery's ad sales in the UK.