Ethics in the digital workplace
Digitisation and automation technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), can affect working conditions in a variety of ways and their use in the workplace raises a host of new ethical concerns.
NextRadioTV, the parent company of several audiovisual media including the continuous news channel BFM TV and RMC, has announced a reorganisation aimed at cut between 330 and 380 permanent positions out of a total of just over 1,300. The group also employs 200 employees on fixed-term contracts, some of which will not be renewed. It also employs casual entertainment workers and freelancers, whose numbers are expected to be cut by 50%. According to the unions, 200 of them would be threatened by these job cuts.
Altice, the parent company of NextRadioTV, was the first French media group to announce a restructuring plan since the shutdown on 19 May. The effects of COVID-19 have been very hard on the whole sector, particularly because of the sharp fall in advertising. The redundancy plan would begin with a voluntary phase; forced redundancies would only take place if there are not enough volunteers.
Eurofound (2020), NextRadioTV, Internal restructuring in France, factsheet number 100957, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/100957.