2 Feb 2010, 1459 hrs IST, PTI

NEW YORK: Sony Pictures Entertainment, a division of Sony Corp, is planning to lay-off about 450 employees, or about 6.5 per cent of its current
work force, in the next few weeks, says a media report.

Attributing to a memo by Sony Pictures co-chairmen Michael Lynton and Amy Pascal, The Wall Street Journal said, the company is planning to lay-off about 450 employees in the next few weeks.

The report said that the majority of the layoffs are expected to hit the studio's home-entertainment and formation-technology departments, but nearly all divisions are expected to feel an impact to some extent, which includes motion pictures, television production and corporate.

"Most of the layoffs are expected to fall in the US and take place by the first week in March," it added.

After the current round of job cut, studio's head count would stand at about 6,300. In addition, the studio would not fill about 100 jobs that are currently open.

The company's business has been hit by digital piracy and the impact of social-media services that have sometimes
undermined studios' marketing efforts.

DVD sales in the US has seen declined 13 per cent to $8.73 billion against last year, putting a major dent in the
studios' bottom-line, the report said attributing to Adams Media Research.



So, FN fans, it looks like a S3 release of "The Flying Nun" is not on the horizon. I think this wipes out any hope for a S7 release of "All In The Family" and "The Jeffersons" as well.

This news doesn't surprise me, I wrote off Sony DVD after they finished Bewitched and I Dream Of Jeannie. Oh well, I guess there's always hope another studio might pick up these unfinished shows and resume with the DVD's. Flying Nun would be a good show for a studio like Shout Factory, just the third season is left to be released anyway.

As far as All In The Family and Jeffersons, I'm surprised CBS DVD hasn't been the releasing studio for these from the start. After all, these are CBS shows to begin with. Maybe CBS can pick up the ball and continue with the DVD's, but I wouldn't count on it. And their track record is not very good anyway with the poor handling of other classic shows on DVD such as My Three Sons and Gomer Pyle USMC.

This is like having a network yank a TV show before it finishes airing it's final season. You know there are other eps waiting to be aired, but they stay in the can forever since the network is finished with the show (and ratings are a disappointment).

Don't give up hope, just yet.

If Sony doesn't release season 3, then maybe Shout! Factory will release it.

They recently acquired the rights to The Facts of Life, and will be releasing season 4 in May.
The Facts of Life is a Sony property.

I think its good news that Sony is licensing their shows to other companies.

I'm hoping Shout! will obtain the rights to other stalled Sony series like Hazel, and Policewoman.

I think Designing Woman is another Sony series that Shout! released.

First off, I'm really sorry to hear about the Sony employees that are about to lose their jobs. I know how they feel (:( ) and hope they all find work quickly.

Second of all, Shout! does have a great rep for bringing back shows on DVD left for dead by other companies. I sure hope that S3 of Flying Nun gets released because Gregory Sierra is a guest in FOUR S3 episodes!!! :eyes:

Yes I agree, I think we should all get together and ask Shout Factory to consider "The Flying Nun 3" as part of their sales online only site.......and yes I think the Sony financial situation finally lead them to start licensing their properties. So in the long run we finally might be able to see some abondoned series continue....."The Facts Of Life" is a very good start!

I've been waiting a long time, hopefully shout will release the 3rd season.

I was thinking the 3rd season might not come out when Sony released the 2nd season in a 3 disc set. It should have been a 4 disc set like the 1st season was, but no they had to get cheap and cram 26 episodes on 3 discs. I'm holding out hope that the 3rd season will eventually come out via Shout! Factory.

I still have my fingers crossed that it will eventually be released. I'm glad we're waiting for one season and not two or three.