UPDATE 1-Microsoft axes freelancers, contract writers at MSN

SEATTLE, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp is laying off dozens of contract and freelance writers from its MSN news and entertainment portal as the giant software company seeks to reshape itself as a devices and services company.

A spokesperson for the company confirmed the layoffs but declined to specify the number or comment further. A person familiar with the situation said the cuts could affect more than 100 people in all.

The pruning of MSN writers, who contribute end edit columns, blogs and features to the site, comes just two months after Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced a radical reorganization of the company, which is only now starting to take effect.

Microsoft's online services unit, chiefly consisting of the Bing search engine and MSN portal, is in line for a shake-up as it has never been profitable and has lost almost $3 billion in the last two years alone. Some investors have pressed for a sale of the unit.

MSN was merged with Bing Apps, which also produces news, weather and other content, in the July reorganization under new head Brian MacDonald.

While MSN is cutting its contractor budget, it is also planning to increase spending on full-time employees, MacDonald told the Seattle Times and later confirmed to Reuters, without giving any further details.

The MSN site has been stagnating for the past year, with its U.S. monthly unique visitors stuck at about 116 million, while the more popular Yahoo Inc and AOL Inc portals are growing faster, according to figures from industry research firm Comscore.

Microsoft beefed up its MSN news operation only a year ago in preparation for the launch of Windows 8. The company wanted to grow its ability to generate online content after last summer's sale of its 50 percent stake in news website MSNBC.com to longtime partner NBCUniversal, now majority-owned by Comcast Corp.

The shift away from using freelance writers means MSN will likely rely more on external sources such as NBC, Associated Press and Thomson Reuters.

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CORRECTED-Lockheed Martin wins rare commercial contract for Atlas launch

(Corrects name in paragraph 2 to Morelos from Moralos)

By Irene Klotz

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Sept 12 (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp has won a rare commercial contract for launch services on its unmanned Atlas 5 rocket, officials said on Thursday.

The customer is the government of Mexico, which will pay Lockheed Martin Commercial Launch Services an undisclosed amount to fly its Morelos 3 communications satellite in 2015.

"I'm sure it was a very competitive offer," said Lockheed Martin spokeswoman Joan Underwood.

The company also has commercial contracts with DigitalGlobe Inc for two Atlas 5 launches to fly its WorldView 3 and GeoEye2 satellites.

The last commercial Atlas launch was for Intelsat Corp in November 2009, Underwood said.

The primary customer for Atlas 5, as well as Delta 4 rockets, is the U.S. military. Both boosters are manufactured by United Launch Alliance, a partnership of Lockheed Martin and Boeing Co.

Until privately owned Space Exploration Technologies began selling commercial launches on its Falcon boosters, satellite owners and operators took most of their business to Europe, Russia and other countries.

The California-based firm, known as SpaceX, has a contract with NASA to fly cargo to the International Space Station, as well as a backlog of more than 40 other Falcon rocket flights on its manifest for commercial customers and foreign governments.

SpaceX is working to break United Launch Alliance's virtual monopoly on flying military satellites as well.

Lockheed Martin, meanwhile, sees a growing future in the commercial launch world. (Editing by Kevin Gray and Stephen Coates)

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Microsoft axes freelancers, contract writers at MSN

SEATTLE, Sept 12 | Thu Sep 12, 2013 2:44pm EDT

SEATTLE, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp is laying off dozens of contract and freelance writers from its MSN news and entertainment portal as the giant software company seeks to reshape itself as a devices and services company.

A spokesperson for the company confirmed the layoffs but declined to specify the number or comment further. A person familiar with the situation said the cuts could affect more than 100 people in all.

The pruning of MSN writers, who contribute end edit columns, blogs and features to the site, comes just two months after Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced a radical reorganization of the company, which is only now starting to take effect.

Microsoft's online services unit, chiefly consisting of the Bing search engine and MSN portal, is in line for a shake-up as it has never been profitable and has lost almost $3 billion in the last two years alone. Some investors have pressed for a sale of the unit.

The MSN site has been stagnating for the past year, with its U.S. monthly unique visitors stuck at about 116 million, while the more popular Yahoo Inc and AOL Inc portals are growing faster, according to figures from industry research firm Comscore.

Microsoft beefed up its MSN news operation only a year ago in preparation for the launch of Windows 8. The company wanted to grow its ability to generate online content after last summer's sale of its 50 percent stake in news website MSNBC.com to longtime partner NBCUniversal, now majority-owned by Comcast Corp.

View the original article here