Breaking News: Layoffs At CBSNews.com

A busy holiday week at CBSNews.com. A source informs us that five people have been laid off at CBSNews.com. ”It’s a bloodbath. At least 5 so far,” says an insider. That number has been increasing all afternoon.

Update: Rachel Sklar of Huffington Post reports that 7 employees have been confirmed fired, 20 are estimated altogether.

Update: Dana McClintock of CBS Interactive emails FishbowlNY, ”During 2007, CBS Interactive acquired three companies, invested in 11 more, and grew its workforce by hundreds of employees, including the formation of a new senior management team …”

More after the jump

”Along with the core success of CBSsports.com, new online sites from Last.fm to Dotspotter have infused invaluable DNA into the division, and are actively translating their experience in community-building to all of the Company’s properties and content. In the coming year, we intend to build on our success by expanding on that strategy of building communities online. Part of achieving this goal is reorganizing the way we do business to align the division’s workforce with our new vision, including increasing our operations in the Bay Area — the heart of so much of this activity. We’re confident that CBS Interactive’s focus on consumer involvement will help the Division experience another record year of growth in ’08
and beyond.”

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