Marco Pavia on Tokyopop Layoffs
Tokyopop Associate Publisher Marco Pavia told ICv2, “Publishers and booksellers are describing this as one of the worst retailing environments in memory and I don’t know what to add. I think that’s an accurate assessment. We’re adjusting to this landscape that’s shifting every day. We need to be as responsive as we can to these new realities just to endure.”
This year alone, the company has had to lay off nearly 50 staffers and reduce their scheduled output for 2009. “Whenever we lay off someone they’re extremely talented, dedicated people, so it’s hard, especially this time of year,” he said of the eight reportedly laid off this month.