News Corporation axes 100 jobs at Fox Interactive Media

by Staff, Brand Republic 27-Jan-09, 08:45

LOS ANGELES - News Corporation's digital arm Fox Interactive Media is axing 100 jobs, or 5% of its workforce in a cost cutting measure, affecting staff at a number of websites including MySpace, Photobucket, Scout Media and Rotten Tomatoes.

The cuts, which began a month ago, are expected to hit image hosting website Photobucket the hardest, which will shed 22 employees. A significant number of jobs are expected to be lost in Fox Interactive Media's corporate offices as well.

A Fox Interactive Media spokesman, said: "I can confirm that several of the groups within FIM are eliminating some jobs and repurposing others.

"This is part of a larger effort we’re making to put FIM in the best possible position to succeed now and, more importantly, to emerge even stronger once the markets recover.

"It's important to note that we continue to hire in many areas.

Social networking website MySpace said despite the job losses it is still hiring new staff across the board.

Dani Dudeck, a MySpace spokesperson, said: "We are constantly aligning our business and resources to focus on the core strategic initiatives of MySpace.

"We currently have open positions, are actively hiring in areas including but not limited to MySpace Music, Business Development and other product initiatives.

"We expect to have more MySpace employees at the end of this fiscal year than we currently have."