SONY SAYS DESPITE LOSSES IT WON’T ABANDON TV MANUFACTURING

Despite losing money in its television manufacturing business for the past seven years, Sony has dismissed speculation that it is considering abandoning the business. In an interview with today’s (Tuesday) Wall Street Journal, Executive Deputy President Kazuo Hirai commented. “We all know it’s a challenging business, but that doesn’t equate to ‘We should be out of the TV business.’ … The question that needs to be asked, which I am trying to engage in very aggressively, is, ‘What does it take to turn the business around?’ as opposed to, ‘Let’s leave the business or other options.'” The Journal noted that Hirai personally has a lot riding on such a turn-around, since many regard him as the likely successor to Sony chief Howard Stringer. The newspaper commented, “The television business presents a big test of his management prowess and whether he is ready for the corner office.”