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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
22 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
‘It's a net positive for us.' For some US manufacturers, Trump tariffs pay off
AccuRounds is exactly the kind of high-end manufacturing company that's supposed to benefit from the Trump tariffs —and right now the plan seems to be working. After a sluggish 2024, AccuRounds workers are putting in overtime as they transform steel rods into hundreds of highly specialized industrial gadgets, and the company is looking to hire. Revenues were up by 20 percent in the first quarter of 2025 and Tamasi expects the same for the current quarter. Revenues last year came to about $20 million, he said. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up AccuRounds makes precisely machined pieces of metal that mostly go inside bigger machines, ranging from commercial aircraft to industrial robots to drug manufacturing systems. For instance, one component goes into a pump that excretes the glue used to assemble iPhones. Another is a driveshaft that's found in most of the machines used worldwide to make influenza vaccines. Advertisement AccuRounds also makes surgical tools such as trephenes, the razor-sharp cookie cutters used to extract diseased corneas from human eyes during transplant procedures. AccuRounds even makes components for high-end flutes played by professional musicians. Advertisement AccuRounds is nothing like the grimy machine shops of old. It's clean and well-lit, with a multitude of computer-guided milling machines, each costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Plexiglass windows on each machine are splashed by a constant spray of cutting oil, which cools and lubricates the cutting tools and washes away metal debris. Twelve-foot steel rods are fed into the mill, where they're automatically shaped, drilled and cut into the proper shape, then dropped into a finished-parts bin. Lately the company's installed robotic arms at some of the milling machines. Made by Universal Robots, a Danish company owned by North Reading-based That doesn't mean fewer jobs, Tamasi said, just different ones. 'It's a commitment that we've made to our team here, that technology, The company's recent revenue surge began right after the re-election of Donald Trump, who'd campaigned on a promise to revive US manufacturing by levying high tariffs on imports. 'It was the end of November, early December,' said Tamasi. 'That's when we started to see things turn.' One customer who had been purchasing from machine shops in Singapore and China told Tamasi that the impending tariffs had cause a change of heart. 'They mentioned they spent a couple of years farming work out,' Tamasi said. 'Now they're looking at bringing that work back.' Advertisement Mark Curtin inspected a finished product at AccuRounds. Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff It's a reminder that tariffs aren't all bad. And AccuRounds isn't the only local manufacturer to benefit. Canton-based Company president Brian Buyea said that even before Trump took office, he was hearing from customers looking to 'reshore' their supply chain with US-made circuit boards. 'Now you start to add the tariffs on top of that, it's started to give us a little more of a positive boost,' Buyea said. Because the Trump administration has so frequently raised and lowered its proposed tariff rates, Buyea couldn't predict their effect on Remtec's revenues. 'It could be anything from a 10 percent pickup for us, to, we could double our business,' he said. Even skeptics concede that import taxes can benefit domestic manufacturers by driving up the cost of products made by foreign competitors. 'These types of polices inevitably have some winners, at least in the short term,' said Scott Lincicome, economist at the To Lincicome. tariffs produce far more losers than winners, as businesses and consumers throughout the economy end up paying more for products. Either they keep buying imports, and pay the tariff, or they switch to more expensive US sources. Many domestic companies use higher tariffs as an opportunity to raise their own prices. And as domestic orders surge, some companies must invest in new plant and equipment, and their new customers will pay for it. 'Over time, you're getting slower growth and a less efficient, less productive economy,' said Lincicome. Advertisement AccuRounds derives only about 5 percent of its revenue from exports, so the company won't suffer much if foreign nations aim retaliatory tariffs at US goods. But the Trump tariffs make it more expensive for manufacturers to purchase the supplies and equipment they need. Steel tariffs are a problem, Tamasi admitted. He'd happily buy US-made steel but 'the quality and the consistency is not there,' he said. 'We've tried everyone.' So he'll keep importing the steel despite the administration's 50 percent tariff. However, AccuRounds' sales contracts stipulate that the company can pass on any increases in steel costs to the end user, shielding AccuRounds from the tariff burden. There's no way around it, said Tamasi. 'If we had to absorb all price increases,' he said, 'we wouldn't be able to compete.' An even bigger hit could come from purchasing new milling machines, priced at half a million dollars or more even before the tariffs. The only ones worth buying, Tamasi said, are made in Switzerland, Germany and Japan. No US company makes the machines he needs, Tamasi said there's no way he can pass this tariff bill directly to customers, but in the long run it could well push his prices higher. Still, if Tamasi's customers are willing to pick up the tab, AccuRounds is a likely victor of the tariff wars. AccuRounds makes specialized metal parts. Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff Hiawatha Bray can be reached at
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
StarRez Wins EdTech Breakthrough's 2025 'Student Safety Innovation Award'
StarRez leads the way in student safety innovation, by supporting colleges and universities worldwide in creating secure, connected, and thriving residential communities DENVER, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StarRez, global leader in housing and resident experience software that helps communities thrive - on and off-campus, today announced that it has received the 'Student Safety Innovation Award' in the 7th annual EdTech Breakthrough Awards program conducted by EdTech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence organization that recognizes the top companies and solutions in the global educational technology market. 'At StarRez, we know that student housing plays a critical role in resident wellness, safety, and compliance. Across our global community, we're all working toward the same goal: creating safe, thriving communities where students can succeed,' said Travis Knipe, CEO of StarRez. 'While many solutions solve parts of the challenge, our focus is on delivering a unified platform that simplifies safety, compliance, and engagement, and drives real outcomes for our campus partners. We sincerely appreciate this recognition from EdTech Breakthrough reflects the incredible work of our team and customers. We remain committed to being a trusted partner on and off campus—helping deliver amazing experiences, reducing risk, automating operations, and ultimately improving student outcomes—all through one connected platform.' Safety is at the core of the StarRez platform, which equips housing teams with the tools to create secure, supportive living environments for students on and off campus. From housing applications and billing to roommate matching and off-campus education, StarRez streamlines the entire housing experience in one unified system. Beyond operational efficiency, the platform plays a vital role in enhancing student well-being and safety, helping students live, learn, and work with confidence throughout their academic journeys. StarRez equips housing teams with advanced tools to actively monitor and manage secure living environments. Features such as guest management, package tracking, digital ID scanning, and real-time communication enable staff to stay responsive and vigilant. The platform's Community Management solution fosters a sense of belonging while supporting student well-being, and its robust reporting and analytics surface key safety insights—helping teams identify trends, track incidents, automate follow ups, and take early action to maintain compliance and protect the campus community. As institutions around the world prioritize safer, smarter residential communities, StarRez continues to lead with measurable impact—empowering teams to enhance compliance, streamline safety protocols, and ensure secure access for every resident. Boosted Fire Safety Compliance: A EMEA-based university achieved a 95.75% compliance rate in fire safety activities by revamping their induction process using StarRez, ensuring students are well-informed and better prepared from day one. Streamlined Visitation Oversight: At the Fashion Institute of Technology, StarRez reduced in-person visitation-related office visits by over 60%, saving staff 12 hours a week. The platform empowers the Conduct and Public Safety teams with transparent tools to manage approvals, track policy violations, and enhance campus safety. Faster, Safer Access Control: The University of Central Arkansas cut housing access processing time by 86%—from 8 hours to just 1—through StarRez's automation capabilities, enabling secure, efficient door access for residents. 'Student needs have increased. They're requiring more attention and they're expecting better digital tools, especially in places like the housing portal', says Dante Brooks, Assistant Director of Housing at the University of Oklahoma. 'StarRez really lets us spend time with our residents and it lets us have really thoughtful interventions on everything from billing to assignments to resident well-being.' The platform makes it possible to embed compliance measures directly within the student booking experience. An interactive, automated system ensures students are informed before they even arrive on campus about rules and regulations such as fire safety. A pre-arrival fire safety video, post-move-in confirmation form, and in-person fire safety walks can ensure students actively engage with safety protocols. 'Beyond compliance, StarRez is creating a safer, more informed, and connected student experience. Universities are tasked with achieving widespread compliance in the face of challenging student engagement and ensuring student safety. However, traditional, fragmented approaches to compliance make safety training ineffective, unengaging, and hard to track,' said Steve Johansson, managing director, EdTech Breakthrough. 'StarRez is leading the way in student safety innovation, ensuring that universities worldwide can create secure, connected, and thriving residential communities. We're so pleased to be able to recognize them with 2025's 'Student Safety Innovation Award!'' As StarRez continues to advance AI capabilities within its platform, the benefits of a unified system grow exponentially—helping institutions future-proof operations while enhancing safety and student support. To learn more about StarRez's offerings and how they are leading the way in student safety innovation, visit About StarRezStarRez is the global leader in student housing software, providing innovative solutions for housing management, resident wellness and experience, and revenue generation. Trusted by 1,300+ clients across 25+ countries, StarRez supports more than 3 million beds annually with its user-friendly, all-in-one platform, delivering seamless experiences for both students and administrators. With offices in the United States, Australia, and the UK, StarRez blends the robust capabilities of a global organization with the personalized care and service of a trusted partner. For more information, visit About EdTech BreakthroughPart of Tech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence and recognition platform for global technology innovation and leadership, the EdTech Breakthrough Awards program is devoted to honoring excellence in educational technology products, companies and people. The EdTech Breakthrough Awards provide a platform for public recognition around the achievements of breakthrough educational technology in categories including e-learning, student engagement, school administration, career preparation, language learning, STEM and more. For more information, visit Tech Breakthrough LLC does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our recognition programs, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with award designations. Tech Breakthrough LLC recognition consists of the opinions of the Tech Breakthrough LLC organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Tech Breakthrough LLC disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this recognition program, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Media contact: Caroline Hansen [chansen@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
LSU Star Flau'jae Johnson Turns Heads at BET Awards
LSU Star Flau'jae Johnson Turns Heads at BET Awards originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The BET Awards are taking place in Los Angeles on Monday evening, drawing a star-studded lineup that includes rapper Doechii, R&B icon Ciara, actress Keke Palmer and comedian Kevin Hart, who is hosting this year's ceremony. Held annually, the BET Awards honor the achievements of Black entertainers and other minority trailblazers across music, film, sports and philanthropy. Among the night's notable attendees was rapper and LSU guard Flau'jae Johnson, who earned a nomination for Sportswoman of the Year. Other nominees include Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson, Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese, boxing champion Claressa Shields, tennis player Coco Gauff, South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley, USC basketball standout Juju Watkins, track star Sha'Carri Richardson and Olympic gymnast Simone Biles. Johnson went to Instagram to show off her look for this year's BET Awards. The 21-year-old athlete stunned in a wine red poofy gown with a high-low skirt. She accessorized the look with a pair of matching high heels, diamond earrings and necklace, a gold clutch and various gold and silver rings. The athlete was styled by Sandra Vainqueur, her hair was done by LA and Atlanta-based hairstylist Karjah Carter, makeup was completed by Jasmine Madison and photos were taken by NYC and LSU photographer Jaleel Bartholomew. "You Gone Be A Star ⭐️," the LSU star player wrote as her caption. Per usual, fans flooded the comments with purple and red hearts, fire emojis and heart-eye emojis, and praised the athlete for her stunning look. "🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 & u keep yo bro w u dats love ❤️ we all we got !!!!! 4️⃣4️⃣4️⃣4️⃣4️⃣4️⃣💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜" one user commented. "I know the haters be like this girl just won't quit 🔥👏👏 NEVER!!!" a fan wrote. "Forever that girl!!!" A fan wrote, "Simply STUNNINGGGG😍🍷😍🍷." "Beautiful as always ❤️❤️❤️," one said. LSU Women's Basketball Director of Player Personnel and Influence, Jennifer Shea Roberts, even joined the conversation, writing "Another 'RED' carpet!!!❤️." "Absolutely stunning 😍😍😍," another wrote. Johnson is an incoming senior at LSU and a signed rapper with Jay-Z's Roc Nation. She earned SEC Freshman of the Year in 2023, helped LSU win a national title, then posted 18.6 ppg this past season. Off the court, she balances her basketball career with music, following in her late father's story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
