Budget Cuts Lead to Major Layoffs at U.S. Arabian Broadcaster Al Hurra

The parent company of Al Hurra, a U.S. government-funded Arabic broadcaster, has cut 160 jobs due to a 20% budget reduction mandated by U.S. Congress. Al Hurra Iraq will merge with Al Hurra TV. The company will shift focus to multimedia journalism and new technologies such as AI.

The parent company of the U.S. government-funded Arabic broadcaster Al Hurra has announced the elimination of 160 jobs and the merger of its Iraq channel following a 20% budget cut mandated by the U.S. Congress.

"Today is a sad day. We've said goodbye to 160 of our colleagues and reduced our workforce by 21%," MBN Acting President and CEO Dr. Jeffrey Gedmin informed staff in a note. The budget cuts have forced MBN to reduce costs by nearly $20 million.

MBN, which includes Al Hurra and Al Hurra Iraq along with two radio stations and several websites, aims to represent America and its policies accurately, engaging in independent journalism. The company plans to shift away from costly brick-and-mortar operations to prioritize multimedia journalism and explore new technologies like artificial intelligence.

(With inputs from agencies.)