Forum - View topicNEWS: CPM Lays off Staff, Prepares for Bankruptcy
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Mroni
 Posts: 29 Location: Stranded all alone at the gas station of love |
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This will suck Cpm finally got around to releasing Votoms on dvd. They need to complete it dammit.
Mr Oni |
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GATSU
Posts: 15299 |
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From Toonzone, courtesy of Anime News Service: "As our business has been significantly impacted by Musicland's bankruptcy filing, we are facing tightening sales conditions and are currently focusing on a cost cutting program which will structure the company for future growth without our largest customer. A number of very talented and dedicated employees have unfortunately lost their jobs through no fault of their own. CPM will be happy to assist these fine staff members find employment opportunities, so any company seeking experienced and professional employees are requested to email CPM at [email protected] for further details."
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Area88
 Posts: 374 |
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Thanks GATSU!
An interesting read, it would seem CPM plan on recovering from this. If so then this is great news. |
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Yoda117
Posts: 406 |
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Got to agree. This will be interesting to hear.
Especially given the rapid turnaround in fortunes. However, anyone who didn't see this one coming hasn't been paying a lot of attention. Since 2000 they've been far surpassed as one of the main companies in the business. Shame too, considering the role they played in the earlier days when anime first hit the mainstream's radar. Seems that none of the powerhouse companies from the early 90s are around anymore. I'm now waiting to hear that AnimEigo has gone under. There'll be a tear in my eye for that, but like CPM, it's not unexpected. |
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Patmos
Posts: 10 |
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Here's a comic about how much musicland sux:
http://www.seekingtranslation.com/main.php?comicItem=67 and another http://www.seekingtranslation.com/main.php?comicItem=101 The sad thing is that Central Park Media is probably have to go back to Musicland now TransWorld to keep its self going, thats not fair. |
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jgreen
 Posts: 1325 Location: St. Louis, MO |
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Why is that a bad thing? TransWorld as a ginormous company with tons of cash to spend. If they throw some CPM's way, that's a GOOD thing. I'm surprised to hear that CPM hasn't had a hit in a long time. I thought "World of Narue" was fairly popular...or am I just dreaming? |
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Tempest
 I Run this place.ANN Publisher  Posts: 10420 Location: Do not message me for support. |
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Trying to recover would be the operative term. I'd be very surprised if CPM didn't try to recover. As to whether or not they'll be able to recover, and what "recovery" would entail remains to be seen. Given that they're "trying to recover," any statement that suggest bankruptcy is something they;d avoid for the time being. The possible scenarios include: 1) Chapter 7. That's it, CPM is gone. 2) Chapter 11 - If CPM thinks, and can convince a court that its business is sound and that it just ran into some bad luck, then the court will give it time to fix its luck. 3) Acquisition - Another company acquires CPM and assumes CPM's debts. 4) Sale of Equity - If CPM can convince another party to invest heavily in the company. 5) Sale of assets without bankruptcy - CPM might be able to sell of enough assets fast enough to not need bankruptcy. This could either lead to company closure, or the company continuing to do business but without many of its current assets (ie: licenses). The big question is, what percentage of CPM's licenses are transferable. And how much money does Bank of America want it to pay back "now." CPM is one of the oldest anime companies around, they made huge contributions to the anime industry, it would certainly be a shame to see them go away, I'm hoping they find a way out of this. -t |
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Dargonxtc
 Posts: 4463 Location: Nc5xd7+ スターダストの海洋 |
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I would say senarios 2, 3, and 5 are the most likely in this situation. Although(5) it may be tough to find someone to buy the older titles, however many of them are anime gold. To bad that doesn't turn into real gold(money). I would say think the best one would be if another company bought them, and allowed them to remain a wholly managed subsidiary.
Don't they own Grave of Fireflies? Hmmm just checked, they do. |
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GATSU
Posts: 15299 |
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Patmos: There were probably some non-anime companies affected too.
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orakga
Posts: 7 |
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I highly doubt that a recovery is even possible. The company stopped acquiring anime years ago. When was the last time you heard of a real acquisition from them? Narutaru? 30minute shows don't count, and please, don't even mention their Hentai titles to me. An anime company either needs a good TV SERIES, or a POOL of good shorts features. A couple of 30 minutes shows each year just doesn't cut it. Someone mentioned acquiring CPM. I have a question for you. Out of CPM's entire catalog, how many titles do you see yourself purchasing? And don't count them by the number of titles on your wishlist. Count them by the titles you'd buy THIS MONTH. Your answer should tell you what their sales potential really is. Ever since half their staff split off and created Media Blasters in the late 90s, and other players like ADV and Funimation started investing in properties that CPM felt was overpriced (Pokemon anyone?), their fate was sealed. They refused to accept the fact that nobody wants to buy old anime, and that new investments MUST be made in order to stay in this business. Yes, THIS BUSINESS is the anime industry, and if the fact that 90% of the viewers on ANN watch torrents isn't enough of an indication of that, I don't know what is. I mean who (of the anime fans) in his right mind would buy "Slayers" over "Genshiken" today? Back in 2002, I even wrote a thesis on why companies like CPM cannot survive in today's world. And although back then I didn't have CPM specifically in mind, CPM did make a lot of the common mistakes which ultimately lead to my thesis. For those curious, my thesis was that "only the Japanese know how to properly package and sell Anime; therefore Shueisha/Shogakkan (now VIZ), Bandai and Pioneer (now Geneon) should take control of the market". It didn't take long before that became a reality, and now the world is a better place, at least for the fans. And although CPM has tried to expand their business sideways since they'd been dethroned, with Yaoi, Manga and even Korean content, in the end they weren't profitable enough to keep them afloat. And once those alternatives had failed, and they'd been "out" of the anime game for 3-4 years while exploring these alternatives, other, bigger and better players had appeared and made it home right where they used to be (i.e. Media Blasters, Geneon). Someone up there mentioned "deep pockets". Yes, today's Anime industry is all about deep pockets and huge titles. And that's one part where I can't help but shake my head. CPM had THE deepest pocket in the industry, not even ten years ago. They were THE market leader. So what happened? I have one word; BAAF. When CPM had the cash to acquire ANY show in the world, instead they went out and started the Big Apple Anime Fest, channeling company resources into it until it faced the same fate that the parent company now faces. Don't get me wrong, I am sadden to see all these veteran companies leave the field. But to end this with a harsh-but-honest statement, their time is up. They've had a good run messing up packages and editing scenes to no end, and making a countless number of mistakes along the way. Companies like that simply cannot survive too long; especially after the Manga-ka in Japan gets a hold of the ugly DVD, and realizes what's happened to his precious creation. --- Added: For those of you who want to disagree that the Japanese companies should take control, let me give you a couple of cases that validate my point (and relatively recent ones too!) 1) Tenjou Tenge the Manga: CMX picked it up, and started cutting it up like Pizza. CMX = DC Comics 2) One Piece: 4Kids picked it up, started smushing it up like Hiya-Yakko after a shot of hot sake. Sales tanked and license got pulled. 4Kids = rich American company that thinks it can do whateverthefuckwithwhattheybuy. Well sir(s), that's where you're mistaken; YOU CAN'T TREAT SHOWS HOWEVERTHEFUCKYOUWANT. There *IS* a right way, and if you get it wrong, you pay with a bankruptcy. Excuse me for the language. p.s. Let it be known for the record that *some* companies (like MediaBlasters) have managed to prove me wrong on certain occasions and have shown hope for the American-owned Anime publishers. ADV has also started to clean up their act with the recent slim-paks as well. However, my point remains valid; the U.S. companies need to be TAUGHT what is right, while the Japanese companies already know what's right. p.s. I want my Ergo Proxy on BluRay already... |
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tekwych
 Posts: 75 Location: New Mexico |
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Both WB and MGM walked away for 2 months. Refusing to honor any Suncoast or FYE POs. They returned about 2 weeks ago and offered terms that, while not happy, Trans World chose to accept. Expect return policy to be greatly tightened at both chains. |
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GATSU
Posts: 15299 |
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orakga:
I'd actually have more titles I'd be interested in purchasing from them than ADV and Geneon. So I think their sales potential is fine. It's at least got more value to me than the stuff from AN Entertainment.
4Kids had Pokemon, and no one believed it was going to be big, especially since it was Nintendo's last hope against Sony. At best, it'd do as well as Transformers before it, but it ended up being even more successful. If CPM had the option, but chose not to invest in it, I'm not going to blame them for that. Look what happened when FUNimation tried to promote the original DB. As for Media Blasters, if you look at the crap they were selling before Berserk, Kenshin and Oh My Goddess, it'd probably be a far larger number of D titles than CPM.
You're confusing CPM with Animeigo. Descendants of Darkness, World of Narue, and Kakurenbo may not be brand new, but they are recent. They also just released the Animation Runner Kuromi sequel. Now if by "new", you mean, "26 episode cash-ins on the latest dating sim featuring frequent incest", there are plenty of those titles from ADV and Geneon.
People who don't really care about the otaku sub-cultures, and just want to be entertained? I mean yeah, I liked Otaku No Video, but I wouldn't pay for 12 episodes of it. I got bored after only two volumes of Maniac Road.
Well apparently your thesis was wrong, because they lasted 4 more years.
Yeah, and Toei did a bang-up job of it.
Bandai got swallowed up by Namco, and if Viz didn't have Inu Yasha, Naruto, and Jump, they'd probably be a statistic, too. No one was buying from them at that point, because the only "new" title they had was Trouble Chocolate, and Hamtaro didn't even come close to the success of Pokemon. Geneon's lost money this quarter too.
How are the fans going to benefit from more crap being flooded onto shelves?
Actually, their yaoi was doing fine. And their manga line out-lasted Comics One and Raijin.
Yes, providing a venue for tourism and escapist entertainment for New Yorkers traumatized by terrorism is stupid. Just ask Robert De Niro. Last edited by GATSU on Tue May 30, 2006 8:45 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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chrisb
 Subscriber Posts: 617 Location: USA |
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That's too bad. I enjoyed most of CPM's titles, I prefer the not so popular anime and CPM had some of the best not so well known titles. I wonder how this will effect the voice actors since most of the north eastern actors did alot of work for CPM. I hope that CPM does recover and it is very kind of them to help out the employess laid off.
Last edited by chrisb on Tue May 30, 2006 8:47 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Eos
 Posts: 168 Location: Jersey |
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I'm sad to see the company take such a hit. I used to intern for CPM, and I worked with many friendly and hard-working people. It's horrible that they had to loose their jobs, I know a lot really liked working there.
I hope this isn't the end for CPM. |
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Eos
Posts: 168 Location: Jersey |
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Actually, they haven't stopped. Check out their catelog. As for the hentai, you be surprised how much they can bring in. Thirty minute shows don't count? A couple of 30-minute an episode tv show a year is how most companies roll.
CPM is no 4Kids, they weren't the hack-job artists you're making them out to be. Secondly I'm rather annoyed by your lack of confidence in American companies. Your fandom for all things Japanese has caused you to ignore the successes of American lisensors. ADV anyone?
It's 2006, things change. Someone as well-versed in business practices as yourself should realize that. EDIT: typo Last edited by Eos on Wed May 31, 2006 2:34 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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