Newstalk understands Maximum Media, the digital publisher behind websites Joe.ie and Her.ie, is undergoing a financial restructuring.
As part of this, nine members of staff were made redundant yesterday.
It is understood the company's Financial Controller Ronan Doolin and COO Gillian Fitzpatrick informed the nine members of staff yesterday.
Sources say it was not expected.
In a statement, Maximum Media said: "In 2018, as a result of the UK election, the ongoing Brexit uncertainty, and the resulting downturn in media industry spend, the result was not as expected.
"A loss was made in 2018 of €1m on turnover of €6.0m. In 2019 the business turnover increased to €6.7m.
"Some challenges arose towards the end of 2019, which Maximum Media has addressed in its medium-term business plan, as well as directly with consumers."
The firm confirmed the nine redundancies as part of "the business normalisation", adding that they expect to return to profitability this year.
Just in... statement from @MaximumMedia_IE @NewstalkFM pic.twitter.com/BB4luFba0B
— Jess Kelly 👩🏻💻 (@jesskellynt) January 30, 2020
The company was at the centre of a controversy last year, with the firm confirming that click farms were used to inflate podcast listens.
Niall McGarry, founder of Maximum Media, stepped away from the Irish operation in the wake of the scandal to focus on the UK business.
The controversy led to one of the country’s biggest advertising agencies, Core, temporarily pulling its campaigns from the group.
Maximum Media's other brands include SportsJoe.ie and HerFamily.ie.
Reporting by Jess Kelly. Additional reporting by Stephen McNeice
