Cheddar, the live-streaming news and entertainment outlet, has permanently closed its Los Angeles studio amid company-wide layoffs, a spokesperson confirmed to TheWrap on Friday.
The layoffs are part of a recent consolidation of Cheddar’s two live-streamed networks — the business-focused Cheddar and the quick-hit, general news-focused Cheddar News — into one, the spokesperson said.
Those laid off include Cheddar’s west coast anchor Alyssa Julya Smith, who announced her departure from the company on Friday.
“I am saying goodbye to my anchor job at Cheddar. Unfortunately, the LA Bureau has been permanently shut down during a mass company layoff. After nearly 4 years it is sad to say goodbye, especially this way, but I am excited for the next adventure,” Smith, who helped launch Cheddar’s first lifestyle and entertainment show back in 2016, said on Twitter.
A company spokesperson said that those affected by the layoffs would be provided with severance and “associated benefits.”
“We … remain laser focused on providing our viewers with the best in national, business and cultural news through our Cheddar network,” said the spokesperson, who did not disclose the number of staff members affected.
Cheddar was founded by former BuzzFeed President and COO Jon Steinberg as a media company targeted toward cord-cutting Millennial and Gen Z viewers. The company was acquired by Altice USA in 2019 for $200 million and typically broadcasts its shows live from the New York Stock Exchange trading floor or its New York and now-closed Los Angeles studios. The shows are available live or on-demand via social media or through services like SlingTV, YouTube TV and Hulu Live.