As part of what corporate spokesperson Adam Rothberg called its annual strategic review, Simon & Schuster has eliminated "less than 20" positions, or about 2% of its workforce. The cuts fell across all areas of the company, including jobs in S&S's interactive, production, rights and children's groups.
Rothberg said the reductions "had nothing to do" with last week's departure of S&S chairman Jon Newcomb or the integration of the publishing company into the Viacom entertainment group. "The timing was coincidental," Rothberg maintained. A few of the layoffs were the result of completing the integration of Pocket Books into the S&S trade group, which started last summer. Rothberg said no additional cuts are expected.
