MySpace drops 'friends' tag as 100 UK jobs go

LONDON - MySpace is to drop its 'a place for friends' tag from its main logo as part of its effort to reposition the social networking site, while it is revealed that 100 jobs will go from the site's UK operation as part of the large scale layoffs in the US and internationally.

The reduction in headcount in the UK will reduce the MySpace team in London from 150 staff to around 50.

The company is also expected to part ways with Anthony Lukom, UK's managing director, who will be replaced by MySpace Europe managing director Rebekah Horne.

The staff cuts will affect all parts of the business. MySpace UK has also removed its in-house public relations staff, instead directing queries to an outsourced company, which has declined to comment.

MySpace laid off a third of its staff in the US, about 420 workers, and two thirds internationally, more than 300, as part of CEO Owen Van Natta's plan to have the lagging social network operating as a "nimble" company "with the adaptive mentality of a start-up".

Up to 75 jobs were also cut from MySpace's parent Fox Interactive Media, which is owned by News Corporation.

Van Natta admitted MySpace's staff levels had become "bloated" as users and ad dollars abandon the website for rivals Facebook and .

In May, MySpace fell behind , gathering 114m visitors and 45bn page views compared to Facebook's 123m visitors and 51bn views, according to comScore.

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