CReATION: Jimmy Lai closes Next Media sites

<p>Media tycoon Jimmy Lai shut most of Next Media's Internet </p><p>operations earlier this month in what analysts said represented the most </p><p>drastic cuts in the dotcom sector. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>About 100 staff from atnext.com were sacked. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Next Media's news, finance, entertainment, lifestyle and soccer websites </p><p>were closed. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Only the horseracing website survived with about 20 production, IT and </p><p>editorial staff. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>It now goes online with Apple Daily, Next and other publications. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The decision was designed to lower the company's cash burn rate from </p><p>HK$10 million to between HK$5 million and HK$6 </p><p>million. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>This was the second time in the past three months Next Media had slashed </p><p>jobs. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>

Media tycoon Jimmy Lai shut most of Next Media's Internet

operations earlier this month in what analysts said represented the most

drastic cuts in the dotcom sector.



About 100 staff from atnext.com were sacked.



Next Media's news, finance, entertainment, lifestyle and soccer websites

were closed.



Only the horseracing website survived with about 20 production, IT and

editorial staff.



It now goes online with Apple Daily, Next and other publications.



The decision was designed to lower the company's cash burn rate from

HK$10 million to between HK$5 million and HK$6

million.



This was the second time in the past three months Next Media had slashed

jobs.