NEWS: CNET Cuts 10% Of Workforce

CNET Cuts 10% Of Workforce, Effective Immediately (Updated With Internal Memo)

CNET has announced that it will cut 10% of its workforce, or 120 people, effective immediately, in a move said to help it “focus on long-term growth amid complaints from some investors.”

CNET has had no shortage of headlines recently, from changes at the top through to an ongoing battle for control against largest shareholder Jana Partners.

According to an internal memo from CEO Neil Ashe, the restructure will include stronger emphasis on centralized services in areas like IT architecture, SEO, yield monetization, Facilities, Legal, HR and Communications.

Business Unit Realignment: with the introduction of an open API, “CNET will move its services, catalog, content management system onto one platform, making content development, syndication and content import easier and more open.” CNET has realigned its investments in TechRepublic and ZDNET “to improve monetization,” although exactly how and in what form was not specified. TV.com will be abandoning its emphasis on video for more (we presume low cost) content such as “entertainment features, breaking news, trivia competition, and polls.”