Written by Liz Gannes
Posted Monday, October 27, 2008 at 11:01 AM PT

 

UPDATED: Revision3 Makes Layoffs, as Does Smashface

This story is developing. We’ll get you more information soon.

Update 1: Revision3 has made layoffs, canceled some of its original shows, and discontinued its two new distribution agreements. The online video studio will no longer make Pixel Perfect, PopSiren, and Internet Superstar (the latter two were newer shows made by full-time Revision3 employees Sarah Lane and Martin Sargent), saying the shows didn’t find an audience to drive revenue. It will also no longer distribute EPIC FU (as of mid-December) and Wine Library (as of today), which it says don’t fit into long-term plans.

“Even though we’re sad to see these shows end on Revision3, in today’s economic climate it’s essential for us to focus on what we do best, and where the best opportunity for success lie,” Louderbeck wrote in a blog post announcing the changes.

The company will continue to put resources into expansion efforts, such as its Revision3 Beta, which aims to build audiences for the independent video shows it recruits.

Revision3’s layoffs are already having ripple effects. EPIC FU is made by Smashface Productions, which said today that in light of the decreasing licensing revenue from Revision3, as well as downturned advertising revenue, it has also made layoffs. The company dropped two producers and an editor.

Update 2: While Revision3 declined to officially comment on the number of layoffs, we hear they amount to about a third of the company. Those laid off include employees involved with the canceled shows, including both Lane and Sargent. They also include Damon Berger, who previously led creative and business development.

Update 3: More names of those laid off from Kevin Rose’s blog: Jay Speiden (writer, producer, host), Glenn McElhose (”Hippy Glenn”/Revision3 mascot) and Heather Frank (senior producer).

Disclosure: Revision3 produced The GigaOM Show.

Follow us on Twitter or subscribe to the feed

Sphere
Topic: Hitlines, Startups
« Previous Post Next Post »

Comments & Trackbacks

  1. [...] about using Photoshop. Some of the shutdowns have predictably had spinoff effects, as Liz Gannes describes at [...]

    TV 2.0: Revision3 cancels some shows — mathewingram.com/work on October 27th, 2008 at 12:08 pm - Permalink

  2. [...] Rev3 to the Deadpool Jump to Comments From NewTeeVee: Revision3 has made layoffs, canceled some of its original shows, and discontinued its two new [...]

    Add Rev3 to the Deadpool « Kent’s Official Blog on October 27th, 2008 at 12:19 pm - Permalink

  3. [...] Read more on NewTeeVee — Revision3 layoffs Posted by Chris Filed in Uncategorized [...]

    Revision3 Makes Layoffs « Online Video, Games & Widgets on October 27th, 2008 at 12:30 pm - Permalink

  4. This is truly a sad day. These are some of my favorite creative people producing quality & inspiring entertainment who are simply following their passion. I suppose this is the danger with advertising based media production. When the economy tanks, your way of producing is fucked. All the shows that Rev3 cut have loyal passionate audiences. It’s just a shame that there was no way to engage them in some way to keep the shows going.

    Eddie Codel on October 27th, 2008 at 1:39 pm - Permalink

  5. [...] Malik, Monday, October 27, 2008 at 1:06 PM PT Comments (0) Liz reports that Revision3, the online video start-up behind such as Kevin Rose’s DiggNation (and the on-hiatus GigaOM [...]

    Are New Video Networks In Trouble? - GigaOM on October 27th, 2008 at 1:48 pm - Permalink

  6. This is a cleanup. And the economic client gives them the reason to clean up anything that they feel is not going their way. Anything. (for any reason)
    It also says, we are doing the right thing to survive the storm. A marketing move aimed at VC’s.

    But really, this company needs a rocket trajectory even in this economic crunch to do well. So these layofs are very telling to a degree..

    James

    James Gardiner on October 27th, 2008 at 2:05 pm - Permalink

  7. pop

    Fraser on October 27th, 2008 at 3:14 pm - Permalink

  8. I am going to so miss Martin’s show.

    @James, maybe they should rename themsleves as the digg nation inc. it will get higher valuation that way. seriously, i think digg nation is their strongest brand and they should rally around it.

    Om Malik on October 27th, 2008 at 4:17 pm - Permalink

  9. Surpised. I was hearing the latest TWIT podcast which had both Sarah Lane and Kevin Rose. They were very optimistic about their shows. The show was recorded on Sunday and on Monday they have layoffs which include Sarah and Martin. surprising and shocking, But these are hard times.

    Sidharth on October 27th, 2008 at 7:55 pm - Permalink

  10. Kevin has written about the layoffs in the blog. But rev3’s blog only gives details about the shows not layoffs. Another surpise

    Sidharth on October 27th, 2008 at 7:57 pm - Permalink

  11. [...] may be in the midst of a boom, but the Tech-TV haven Revision3 canceled 3 (how ironic) shows and laid off several well-known production staff today. If you were a fan of the shows PixelPerfect, popSiren, [...]

    Revision3 Not Immune From Bad Economy » Digital Media, Internet, Video » Russell Heimlich on October 27th, 2008 at 8:30 pm - Permalink

  12. I’m surprised they let Epic-Fu and Wine Library go. Those two shows have relatively big audiences. I can’t imagine why they wouldn’t want those added numbers when trying to close the deal with potential advertisers.

    Eric Susch on October 27th, 2008 at 10:34 pm - Permalink

  13. [...] Dignan: Dell blurs netbook-laptop lines NewTeeVee: UPDATED: Revision3 Makes Layoffs, as Does Smashface Christopher Dawson: Getting customer service [...]

    Between the Lines mobile edition on October 28th, 2008 at 4:02 am - Permalink

  14. [...] of the National Television Academy. Sarah Lane of Revision3 was supposed to speak too, but she got laid off, and had to fly out of town for a job interview. There I learned, while snacking on Halloween [...]

    The State of the Media, in Two Acts « NewTeeVee on October 31st, 2008 at 1:04 pm - Permalink

  15. [...] “surprised to see Entertainment Weekly surviving this.” Online TV startup Revision3 is circling the drain with layoffs and cancellations, says NewTeeVee. That’s terrible news for indie video makers, whose low paying deals can [...]

    Best in Blogs: Scare-o-nomics; Beatles Video Games; Wild Philly Fans | "Girl Chat" on November 4th, 2008 at 11:58 am - Permalink

  16. [...] geek culture web video series EPIC-FU suffered collateral damage as a result of Revision3’s belt-tightening at the end of October. Smashface Productions, which produced EPIC-FU, itself had to let go of an [...]

    What’s It Like Looking for New Media Work Now? « NewTeeVee on December 1st, 2008 at 9:00 pm - Permalink

  17. [...] like that move is paying off. Unlike Revision3, which has seen the amount of content it creates reduced, Rocketboom is expanding with projects like Know Your Meme and Human Wire and says its staple daily [...]

    Rocketboom Goes (Lisa) Nova « NewTeeVee on December 22nd, 2008 at 6:47 pm - Permalink

  18. [...] content. That was at a time when many people were making layoffs, including competitors Revision3 and [...]

    ManiaTV on the Block « NewTeeVee on February 19th, 2009 at 12:40 pm - Permalink

  19. [...] content. That was at a time when many people were making layoffs, including competitors Revision3 and [...]

    ManiaTV on the Block | Viral Video Maker on February 19th, 2009 at 4:28 pm - Permalink

  20. [...] come under the roof of online video studio Revision3, only to be dropped when that company reorganized last year. Now he’s looking to run the empire [...]

    Garyvee: After Wine Comes Women « NewTeeVee on February 27th, 2009 at 11:21 am - Permalink

  21. [...] Woolf, who ditched web studio Next New Networks for competitor Revision3 last year but then got dropped by Revision3 amid cost cuts, are back with Next New Networks. Not for their flagship show, Epic Fu, but for a [...]

    Epic Fu Creators Back at Next New Networks « NewTeeVee on March 4th, 2009 at 9:59 am - Permalink

Leave a reply








Safari hates me

If your comment doesn't show up immediately, it may have gotten caught in our trusty (but occasionally overly ambitious) spam filter. Please drop us a note and we'll retrieve it.