E! News gets shelved days after NBCUniversal cuts staff

NBCUniversal has reportedly cancelled its entertainment news show E! News due to the impact of COVID-19, according to CNN Business. It is added that its celebrity news shows "Pop of the Morning" and celebrity interview series "In the Room" are also shelved. Marketing has reached out to NBCUniversal for a statement.

The news comes days after the media company implemented a staff cut, which was also said to be done in response to the economic impact brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to multiple media reports, the staff cut will affect less than 10% of its 3,500 staff. 

E! News is part of E! Entertainment, which boasts to be a global, multi-platform brand for all things pop culture. E! News aired nightly on the network and delivers breaking entertainment news and pop culture coverage 24/7 across all digital and social media. E! is a network of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal.

In recent times, NBCUniversal has also been eyeing the OTT market with the launch of its streaming platform Peacock last month. Jeff Shell, CEO, NBCUniversal, said in a conference call last week that it had combined its television and streaming business over a few months, which allowed the company to rapidly shift its resources and investment from linear TV to streaming.