TV & VIDEO - Jan. 28, 1988

As many as 1,000 people have been laid off in the Hollywood production community since the October stock market crash, Daily Variety said in a lengthy report published Wednesday. Most of the layoffs, the trade paper said, have come in television, especially children’s programming and first-run syndication that have seen a runup in the number of new companies and programs in recent years. Another factor in the trend that Variety said could point to “possible ominous signs for the future” is the relative high cost of producing in Southern California. The trade paper said the greatest number of layoffs have been at the Filmation animation studio (325) and Columbia Pictures Entertainment (about 500, following the merger of the old Columbia with Tri-Star).