Robots to replace 50 production jobs at Sky
Sky News last week told 46 staff members, including directors’ assistants, vision mixers and technical and camera operators, that they'll be made redundant, replaced by the Ross Overdrive system. Another 31 new roles have been created in areas including automation direction and existing staff members will undertake a 45-day consultation to be finalised at the end of August.

Sky has told about 50 studio staff across news and sport that it plans to make their jobs redundant, replacing them with an automated system controlling robot cameras.

The proposals, announced to affected staff on Thursday, would see 46 roles scrapped but 31 created in areas such as “automation direction”. They will be subject to a 45-day consultation and will be finalised towards the end of August.

The changes are part of a move for Sky news and sports into a new shared studio space. Though the studio already uses robotic camera technology, the new Ross Overdrive system means fewer staff will be needed to record shows for both Sky News and Sky Sports.

Roles expected to be eliminated include technical and camera operators, vision mixers and directors’ assistants.

The changes come as Sky is also trimming its presenting lineup. Three anchors – Andrew Wilson, Lorna Dunkley and Samantha Simmonds – have left, with other presenters covering their shifts.

In an email announcing his departure after 22 years at Sky, Wilson wrote that the move to a new Sky News studio meant that “if ever there were a moment to part with an organisation with which I share so much history, this is it”.

A Sky spokesman said: “We have put forward proposals that we believe will significantly improve the service we deliver to our viewers. No decisions have been made at this stage, and we will talk to our people to agree the best way to move forward.”