4Kids Entertainment Announces Lay Offs

According to Anime News Network, 4Kids Entertainment has announced that it will be laying off 15% of its workforce due to the weakening economy. It is counting on this, and other savings measurements to save some serious cash next year. The total amount that 4Kids Entertainment hopes to save is around$15 to $18 million and could save the company from closing down.

Take note that 4Kids Entertainment may not be all that well known to parents, however it has been entertaining your children every Saturday morning since early 2002. This American television production company specializes in licensing children's entertainment around the world. Some of their most famous television licenses include rights to Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh.

Aside from licensing and showing these various shows of different animation styles on television networks such as Fox, and CW, 4Kids Entertainment also dubs and anime from other sea's to be distributed in North America whether it's through television of the distribution of DVD's. Will all of this effect children, or even anime fans from around the world?

That question is a tough one to answer, as only time will tell. In the first nine months of 2008 4Kids Entertainment reported around a $50 million dollar increase in earnings. Judging by that, I'd say that with this recent announcement 4Kids Entertainment will make a bounce back when the economy straightens out. Until then, you and your children can expect to see more of 4Kids Entertainment on television with no interruptions.

Sources

Anime News Network

Wikipedia