Inside Move: D'Works makes TV cuts

Research department sliced, 'Off Centre' coin pulled back

By JOSEF ADALIAN, MICHAEL SCHNEIDER

DreamWorks Television, whose long-term future seems forever the subject of speculation, has made several cost-cutting moves recently -- and that's raising eyebrows in some circles.

The potential good news for the company: It'll have four shows in primetime this fall, the most in several years.

But the studio has also just eliminated its research department, resulting in the loss of three jobs, a spokesman confirmed. In addition, DreamWorks has severely reduced its financial involvement in one of its four fall skeins: the upcoming WB laffer "Off Centre."

The studio originally served as an equal partner with Warner Bros. TV on the skein, which follows the antics of two mismatched roommates. Although it remains a co-producer, DreamWorks renegotiated a more passive stake in "Off Centre" by early May, prior to the network upfront presentations.

WBTV execs were fine with the deal, particularly because "Off Centre" is being produced for the studio's sister weblet.

These actions come as DreamWorks continues to seek out potential studio partners as a means of reducing its financial risks. Talks with Warner Bros. TV and several other companies have yet to yield a concrete deal.

A DreamWorks spokesman said the company had "no intention of getting out of the television business. In an increasingly challenging television marketplace, we're always exploring options regarding production and financing that make sense for our business," he said.