Update: MySpace sources now say Katz may still be at the company, although 2/3 of international staff will be terminated.
More bad news at MySpace. As we await what are likely to be significant cuts in MySpace’s international headcount, MySpace International managing director Travis Katz is out, we’ve heard from a source in the UK. MediaWeek is also reporting this.
Katz joined MySpace in early 2006 as Vice President International, taking a SVP and Managing Director title in October 2006. He is responsible for all non-US operations for MySpace, IGN and other Fox Interactive Media properties. He grew staff from 2 to more than 400 in a span of 2 years.
How many of those 400 international employees will shortly be following? We’ll likely know soon. International employees were spared from the 30% layoffs last week due to legal requirements for notice in some countries, particularly in Europe. But the clock is still ticking on those employees.
I almost interviewed Katz at Davos earlier this year, but he was not available at the time of the interview. Former CEO Chris DeWolfe went solo.
Good riddance! Anyone who inflates the balance sheet to these numbers in few years deserves the boot.
Why does Myspace even need 1000 people? All you need is 12-20 technologists, 20 people in operations and 20 sales staff. Rest of the positions can be two dozen people.
Yes Steven, it’s clearly that simple.
i agree…this guy must be full of it….the reason myspace is going down is b/c the likes of him let it get phat and lose its mission….
MySpace management make easy way for FB
Maybe true, but. with all the shit storms that FB company is encountering at the moment (click frauds and holocaust deniers) do you think that they could get hold of all the disillusioned facers and drifted spacers back?
Do I need to make a *disclosure* here that I am a “spacer” ?? well, I have now. I joined in Oct 2003 when it was still in beta stage with only 500,000 members. Even though it’s not something I do quite as often now (add-me and messages backlog) it’s still something I browse few hours a week.
I’m remaining loyal to it, even though it’s owned by Murdoch’s NewsCorp. At the time I commented to friends that this will make a difference sooner or later (but we didn’t know how. certainly FB wasn’t an issue at the time) he’s made his money back on the purchase so probably doesn’t really notice – it’s a little backwater… The problem is, the reduced ad-revenue doesn’t help across the board but then neither did over-hiring of staff when the going was good.
How can you offer incentives for something that is already free? – I guess this question applies just as much to the other pages as well.
Can this be the final nail in Myspace’s demise?
um no – they just don’t need 400 people – maybe 399 is ok.
all that need are 398 people.
At least Travis knows how to pick a background – he’ll land on his feet.
The international business is the only part of MySpace that is still growing. Seems like bad news for the company.
Guys….I am now an ex-MySpacer. Plsbe respectful as I take personal offence to your crappy comments.
We worked hard to build a strong healthy business and in our country we have remarkable growth. So seeing layoff announcements made as if real people are not affected is f’n insensitive.
Hope you are never at the receiving end cos its no fun.
go go joe. haha
Cotton Joe:
Sympathies, mate. I’m still gonna remain a member of the club that you helped create the software/web pages for.
You’ll get involved in the next big thing sooner or later… tweet me when you do, and if I think it’s good, I might join that one as well.
Steve
This sounds like good news for MySpace as a company. They see a problem with on of their most important leaders and make moves to fix it in only 2 years. Thanks pretty fast action.
The people MySpace will let go have had a great opportunity to work with a very important company learning very valuable skills that most people getting unemployed will never have. I would imagine they will get snapped up very fast, especially compared to the everage Joe.
Since being terminated is very likely not a personal performance issue under current economic conditions, there is little cause to take it personally, or as an measure of one’s value.
So, try to go through the grief cycle as fast as you can so you can get back to enjoying life at a new job, where maybe you will be the VP.
Blessings…
lets focus on the positive people-It is a very nice photo of Travis, don’t you think?
*robot dance*