Turner Broadcasting System International to cut its staff for Africa, Europe and the Middle East by 30% or roughly 250 people.

Turner Broadcasting System International (TBS International) will cut 30% or roughly 250 people of its staff at its business unit looking after Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. The majority of TBS International's EMEA staff is based in London.

The news of the job cuts follows TBS International yanking all of Turner's TV channels from On Digital Media's (ODM) TopTV pay-TV platform at the end of December 2012. No reason was given and Turner given an opportunity to talk about why, refused to give South African pay-TV subscriber any reasons or explanations.

Turner Broadcasting still runs TV channels such as TCM, Cartoon Network, Boomerang and CNN International on MultiChoice's DStv platform in South Africa and Africa and has a total of 17 branded TV channels in the EMEA region in 100 territories.

Rani Raad part of the senior management who looks specifically after Africa, the Middle East and Turkey as senior vice president and managing director, remains and he remains as senior vice president for CNN International as well.

The big downsizing follows a review process for Turner International's EMEA business which was started in September. "This review required us taking some tough decisions, but they are absolutely necessary to put Turner International in the best possible position for future growth," said Gerhard Zeiler who became the president of TBS International.