Liz Gateley: Last News

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Spotify is undertaking a “strategic realignment” of its podcast division, laying off about 200 staffers. Sahar Elhabashi, Spotify’s VP, head of podcast business, announced the job cuts in a memo to employees Monday that was shared publicly. The 200 employees represents about 2% of the audio streamer’s worldwide workforce. The layoffs come after Spotify cut 6% of its total headcount earlier this year and saw the exit of Dawn Ostroff, chief content and advertising business officer, who had previously headed Spotify’s podcast business “We are expanding our partnership efforts with leading podcasters from across the globe with a tailored approach optimized for each show and creator,” Elhabashi wrote. “This fundamental pivot from a more uniform proposition will allow us to support the creator community better. However, doing so requires adapting; over the past few months, our senior leadership team has worked closely with HR to determine the optimal organization for this next chapter. As a result, we have made the difficult but necessary decision to make a strategic realignment of our group and reduce our global podcast vertical and other functions by approximately 200 people, or 2% of Spotify’s workforce.”

Also in today’s TV news:Hulu has ordered to series “RapCaviar Presents” from Spotify and The Intellectual Property Corporation (IPC), a part of Sony Pictures Television. The new docuseries, based on the popular Spotify playlist, will tackle provocative issues through the lens of hip-hop visionaries.The series will be executive produced by Karam Gill, who will also be creative director; Steve Rivo, who will also serve as showrunner; Carl Chery and Liz Gateley, overseeing creative on the show for Spotify; and Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman on behalf of IPC. Av Accius and Marcus A.

Hip hop changemakers are about to get their closeup on Hulu. The streamer has ordered RapCaviar Presents, a new documentary series from Spotify and The Intellectual Property Corporation (IPC), a part of Sony Pictures Television.

EXCLUSIVE: MTV is bringing back one of its most popular reality franchises, The Hills, with a new incarnation. The Paramount network has given a series order to The Hills: Next Gen, from MTV Entertainment Studios. The Hills: Next Gen will feature a brand new cast which is expected to be more diverse than the original. The series will follow close group of 20-something friends and aspiring entrepreneurs who are coming of age in a very different L.A. They will navigate realities of race, class, identity, addiction, family drama along with the thrills of romance and becoming self-made amidst the exclusive enclave of the hills in Malibu.