EXCLUSIVE: Take40, ARIA Charts Content Provider Sacks Digital Staff

The company behind the some of Australia’s most popular websites is understood to have retrenched digital staff this morning.

Authentic Entertainment – a merger between MCM Media and agency Igloo in June last year – have restructured their digital content arm this morning, resulting in sackings relating to the Take40 and TheHotHits.com websites.

After multiple sources indicated to theMusic.com.au that the entire digital content team had been let go, Authentic bosses have denied wrapping up their digital properties.

With an internal announcement made just hours ago, CEO John Wardley told theMusic.com.au that it was premature to go into specifics regarding the changes as other stakeholders were still be notified.

He confirmed that “A number of people in the Melbourne office are affected” and that the Take40 and HotHits websites, mastheads owned by Authentic, would be the properties affected. Authentic also provides content to the ARIA Charts website – which may not be impacted by today’s decision.

A source close to the company indicated that the site affected are likely to be inactive for the immediate future, but Wardley indicated that Take40 “will have a digital presence, but in a different model – a model that we think will generate revenue.”

He said the changes were coming “In sites that we have not been making money in for some time, in fact we’re losing money.”

Chairman of the MCM Entertainment Group Tony McGinn also denied reports that they were winding up the digital side of the business to theMusic.com.au this afternoon and stressed their “big commitment” to the digital space, particularly with Vevo. He described the move instead as a “rationalising” of the company.

A source close to ARIA was unaware of any changes to their service this afternoon.

As well as the music and radio concerns, Authentic proves marketing and content services to a number of brands, including Cricket Australia, the Cancer Council and alcohol brands. One of their higher profile activations is the Vevo Lift series of concerts.