This has little to nothing to do with the economy. MSNBC has been one of the worst-managed operations in America since the day it launched ... no logical business plan, a spendthrift corporate culture, etc. It's just that after 7 1/2 years of being allowed to drift aimlessly, General Electric has finally had enough and is breathing down the necks of the inept MSNBC suits, telling them to get their act together or else. And when inept managers need to make themselves look good real damn fast, they always play the same card: Fire people to increase their revenue numbers.
Even if we were in the middle of the most booming economy in history, MSNBC would still be a financial basket case, and these layoffs still would have occurred.
Perhaps, but layoffs have become part of corporate culture no matter how well a business is doing. It's all about stock value and shareholders now.
In fact I would argue that the MS portion of MSNBC is essential to their success. There is little doubt but that the interactivity via their WWW presence and savvy has been an important part of their success.
Some folks at MSNBC are just in that bind of needing and wanting some media related employment.