Disney Announces Layoffs at ABC News and Disney Entertainment Networks
The Walt Disney Company announced layoffs on Wednesday at ABC News Group and Disney Entertainment Network. According to sources familiar with the matter, the cuts will impact nearly 200 employees or less than 6% of total staff, with the majority coming from ABC News' New York-based team.
The Wall Street Journal first reported news of this latest round of layoffs.
'Rethinking the way we work to future-proof our team regrettably includes reductions to our extraordinary staff," Almin Karamehmedovic, ABC News' leader said in an e-mail to staffers obtained by the Journal's media reporter, Joe Flint. 'These decisions are incredibly challenging and today will undoubtedly be difficult for our organization.'
Perhaps the biggest casualty is the 538 brand founded by Nate Silver in 2008 and eventually acquired by ABC News in 2018. In the Wednesday edition of his Reliable Sources newsletter, CNN media analyst Brian Stelter notes that the site will be wound down with 15 people being let go. 528's polling and political data analysis will be absorbed by ABC News.
Silver-who was laid off by ABC News in 2023-took to social media to mourn the shutting down of 538. 'My heart goes out to the people there,' he wrote. 'They were tremendously hard-working and produced a lot of extremely valuable data and insight for everyone who wants to understand politics better. They deserved much better.'
Other ABC News impacted by the layoffs include the Good Morning America branded shows, which will be consolidated under executive producer Simone Swink. The third hour, GMA3, was previously supervised by a different unit.
Similarly, ABC News' longform units-including ABC News Studios, 20/20, Nightline, and Impact x Nightline-will now be part of one leadership structure. Digital editorial and social teams will be integrated part of newsgathering, shows, and ABC's owned and operated station units.
Meanwhile, the cuts at Disney Entertainment Networks are primarily impacting the planning and scheduling teams within the company's broadcast and cable networks. Disney's Vancouver-based animation studio will also see some positions eliminated.
Disney has recently been putting more emphasis on its streaming networks and prioritizing live sports and entertainment content, including the Oscars, which saw a boost in viewership for the 97th edition.
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