Downloading leads to closing of Sony distribution site in Fresno, Calif.

By Tim Sheehan | Fresno Bee

Entertainment giant Sony will close a distribution center it operates in Fresno, putting about 60 people out of work by the end of March.

Sony Corp. subsidiary Sony DADC has leased the warehouse on South Angus Avenue since 1990. It is a distribution hub for music CDs, movie DVDs and Blu-ray discs, and game software.

The facility is a victim of overall economic conditions, Sony Corp. of America spokeswoman Lisa Gephardt said, as well as the "challenges facing the physical media industry" -- the sizable dent that digital downloads are putting into the sales of CDs and other hard-copy entertainment formats.

The closure is among the steps Sony DADC is taking "to reduce cost from our supply chain network in order to remain competitive," Gephardt said in a statement Tuesday. Operations in Fresno will be absorbed into other U.S. distribution sites the company operates.

Read the complete story at fresnobee.com