Posted on 06/25/2009 10:51:47 AM PDT by a fool in paradise
MTV Networks is axing around 75 staff Tuesday, executives at the company confirmed. The cuts mainly affect mid-level executives in the program development department, digital division and scheduling at the company's music and logo group which houses channels including MTV, VH1 and Logo.
A spokeswoman confirmed the news saying the cuts were a result of the recession. "We have been taking a look at our business and how to position ourselves for future growth. It's pretty much the economy," she said, adding that the cuts accounted for less than 1% of MTV Networks' workforce. The executive couldnt discuss how many people the company employs or confirm how many people are exiting or which channels they work for.
A separate executive put the number at around 75 positions. While one executive outside the company said MTV bore the brunt of cuts. Ten positions were said to be eliminated at Logo, the channel geared at the gay community. The lay-offs come just days after the departure of MTV Networks veteran programming czar Brian Graden who said last week he would be leaving at the end of the year. Brian Graden is currently president of MTV Networks Music Group and is also president of Logo . He oversees programming for MTV, VH1, CMT and Logo and has been a force at the company for the past ten years.
MTV Networks which houses successful cable channel brands such as Comedy Central has had difficulty in recent years with MTV. The channel, while still a big player in the teen market, has seen a 20% decline in ratings in April and May among the young adults that once came for music videos and now stop by for reality shows such as The City. The change over from program ratings to C3 ratings had also initially hurt MTV along with other fast-paced entertainment oriented channels, given the nature of the programming which tends not to be taped.
According to Credit Suisse, the channel has showed ratings declines for the past two years with the exception of the fourth quarter of 2007. Credit Suisse estimates that Viacoms ad-supported channels will see a 7% decline in ad revenue for 2009.
No further cuts are expected and the downsizing does not affect MTV Networks entertainment group or the company's kids and family group.
Couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch of degenerates. They should go back to like how they were in the early 80’s.
I can’t wait until we only pay for the cable channels we want to have. MTV will die.
.....couldn't happen to nicer people....
MTV and VHI should stick to playing music videos and get rid of the annoying shows and “hosts”.
If you’ve watched MTV recently you have to wonder how it takes more than 12 people to run that place.
I’m worried that if ‘creative’ types are axed we’ll never see programs like A Shot At Love With Tila Tequila again.
The major music industry is now about celebrity, not music. Just as the presidency is no longer about politics, either.
Can’t see a la carte cable anytime soon. Although I do hope it is required if they start limiting internet. If they get to decide how much downloading we do, we should get to decide how much cable we want.
Wish I could axe the channel frm cable and get the fees back I am paying for that nonsense.
When will a la carte finally arrive?
Or in LOGO's case they dropped the soap.
hmmm. Do you think they’d get rid of “Daisy of Love” too? That would cause me to bring out the huge manatee.
ONLY 75?
I was hoping for more.
the little darlings just don’t have the kind of discretionary income they once had...
TS MTV.
Surely the numbers would have been much bigger if not for the stimulus package.
They mean forcing MTV into the ground - their viewership has been steadily declining for years.
Maybe they can now get real jobs.
That’s their most popular tv program.
Remember when MTV used to show videos?
Of course now with YouTube, you don’t even need them for that.
Big Media opposes “a la carte” channel selection.
Viacom (parent corp to CBS, MTV, VH1, Nick, Logo, Comedy Central, etc.), Disney (parent corp to ABC, Disney, ESPN...), General Electric (parent corp to NBC, CNBC, MSNBC...), and Time-Life-Warner-Turner (parent corp to HBO, CINEMAX, CNN, CNN Headline, TBS, TNT, TMC...) thrives on your monthly cable bill.
Defund the Left. Drop your pay tv-programming.
Even if they gave it away, they still need to audience for advertising revenue and for influence (they have to tell you what’s hip, who’s in, who to vote for, etc.).
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