Universal Music Slashes Staff, Doug Morris Still Employed

Music-industry analyst Perez Hilton is reporting that Universal Music Group record labels Interscope and Geffen merged their staffs, eliminating the jobs of about 60 people. The reason for the consolidation, according to Hilton, was the $18 million price tag for the production and promotion of albums by Will.I.Am, Nicole Scherzinger, and Eve, which we’re sure must’ve seemed like a perfectly reasonable amount of money to spend on such things when Doug Morris gave it the okay.

Billboard says it was actually fifteen employees who were laid off, including publicists Jim Merlis and Jycorri Robinson, while the Daily Swarm estimates it was more like 20 to 25, though their source says, “I don’t think it’s over yet.� Given how bad that Will.I.Am album is, we bet it’s probably not.

R.I.P. [Perez Hilton]
20 or more layoffs today at Geffen and Interscope [Daily Swarm]
Staff Cuts Hit Geffen, Interscope [Billboard]

Earlier: Shock: Record Label Realizes It Still Has Some Employees It Hasn’t Yet Laid Off
Music-Business Meltdown! Ultragrrrl Out of a Job!