Report: Nielsen to Lay Off Over 300 in Columbia

Nielsen Holdings is laying off 333 workers at their radio ratings business based in Columbia, according to a Baltimore Sun report.

The layoffs come after Nielsen closed its purchase of Arbitron for $1.3 billion in September.

The Sun reported the layoffs were announced in a company-wide announcement on Thursday and then employees impacted were notified in individual meetings on Friday. 

The layoffs represent about one-third of Arbitron’s workforce before the merger, according to SEC filings.

"As part of the integration of Nielsen Audio, Nielsen is implementing changes across the company to enhance growth and to align our resources to meet and exceed client needs,” said Nielsen in a prepared statement. “These changes will improve productivity and innovation for the benefit of our organization, clients and shareholders."

According to a transcript from  a speech by Nielsen CEO David L. Calhoun obtained by the Sun, the impetus for the layoffs may have been to reduce duplicative costs—such as headquarters and receivables. 

Nielsen, which tracks consumer information about what people watch and what people buy, is well known for its TV ratings segment. Arbitron specialized in radio ratings. 

The company's headquarters is located at 9705 Patuxent Woods Dr., Columbia.