Yahoo Overhauls Singapore Operations, Lays Off Editorial and Social Teams

By John Lopez

Apr 29, 2024 03:55 PM EDT

Yahoo is reportedly undergoing significant changes in its Singapore operations. Recent reports tell us that the company is restructuring its Singapore business, leading to the dismissal of its editorial and social media teams.

According to The Edge Singapore, 17 staff members will leave Yahoo's Singapore branch after May 7, 2024. Some of these employees have been with the company for over 15 years and will receive compensation equivalent to slightly more than two weeks' pay per year of service.

Yahoo Singapore Shifts Focus to Content Curation, Announces New Editorial Roles

The decision to overhaul operations stems from Yahoo's recent evaluation, as reported by The Straits Times. The assessment found that content provided by third-party partners consistently drove higher engagement than original content. Consequently, Yahoo is shifting its strategy towards content curation rather than creating original content in Singapore.

Under the new strategy, Yahoo plans to hire three "curation editors" and a market lead for Yahoo News Singapore. These editors will focus on curating content from various syndicated sources, including HuffPost, AFP News, Reuters, EdgeProp, and The Edge Singapore.

As highlighted by The Edge Singapore, affected employees can apply for these new remote positions. However, cost-cutting measures or specific reasons behind the strategic shift were not mentioned.

According to The Edge Singapore, the company's sales team in Singapore remains unaffected by the layoffs, although they have ceased selling advertorial content. Additionally, no financial figures were shared during a recent town hall meeting, leaving affected employees surprised by the sudden restructuring.

Yahoo Series of Layoffs

This is not the first time Yahoo has undergone such changes in Singapore. In 2022, seven journalists were laid off, and in 2016, there was another retrenchment exercise.

Yahoo's decision to overhaul its operations in Singapore reflects broader trends within the company. In February 2023, the US media giant announced plans to lay off about 1,000 jobs globally, signaling a more significant restructuring effort within its advertising tech division.