Paradigm Lays Off 30 Employees, Mostly Impacting Its Music Agents
Paradigm Talent Agency has laid off about 30 agents, according to an individual with knowledge of the situation. The cuts, which took place on Friday, represented about 4% of Paradigm’s workforce.
Most of the employees impacted from the cuts came from Paradigm’s music division, which represents a number of major acts, including Halsey, Coldplay, The Lumineers and Ed Sheeran.
The layoffs come 7 months after Paradigm chief Sam Gores decided to “shut down discussions” with United Talent Agency on a potential merger. The cuts aren’t connected to the near-merger with UTA or Paradigm’s lingering stalemate with the Writers Guild of America over packaging fees, according to the individual with knowledge of the situation. Overall, Paradigm has added more than 100 employees in the last year.
Also Read: WGA President Vows to Ensure Writers Are 'Fairly Compensated' During 2020 Talks
On Friday, Gersh co-presidents David and Bob Gersh said the talent agency had signed an agreement with the WGA and will resume representing writers. The deal made Gersh the first full-service agency to come to terms with the WGA. Hollywood agencies and the WGA have been at impasse for months over the practice of packaging and the fees that agencies collect for bundling talent together for networks and studios. The WGA has argued that such practices have created conflicts of interests for agencies that hurt Hollywood writers.
Paradigm’s layoffs were first reported by Deadline.
Read original story Paradigm Lays Off 30 Employees, Mostly Impacting Its Music Agents At TheWrap
