MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

Image Entertainment Acts to Combat Losses: Image Entertainment Inc., a struggling Chatsworth-based distributor of movies and other programs on laser disc, said it pared its work force by 17% and is taking other cost-cutting steps that will result in a loss of about $9 million for its fiscal year ending March 31. Image, which lost $3.2 million on sales of $43.3 million for the nine months ended Dec. 31, said it laid off 16 people--including three executives--to lower its work force to 78 from 94. The company also plans to reduce its inventory of laser disc titles.