Disney is laying off about 200 employees across its ABC News Group and Disney Entertainment Networks division.
Sources say the cuts represent just under 6% of the workforce at those units and could be announced to staff as soon as Wednesday.
Why Disney Is Cutting Jobs
The layoffs are part of a larger trend at Disney, which has made several rounds of staff reductions in recent years. Like many traditional media companies, Disney is adjusting to a changing landscape where cable TV revenues are falling, and audiences are moving to streaming platforms.
Some key reasons for the cuts:
- Ratings are dropping at many cable channels.
- Advertisers are shifting budgets to streaming and digital platforms.
- Disney is spending heavily on sports and streaming content to stay competitive.
ABC News Facing Significant Changes
ABC News will see the biggest impact from these cuts, with several high-profile changes already confirmed.
- The long-running news magazine shows “20/20” and “Nightline” will merge into a single production team. This consolidation will result in job losses.
- ABC is shutting down the political and data-focused site 538, which employed around 15 staff members.
- Production teams for all three hours of “Good Morning America” will now report to one leader. Previously, the third hour had a separate team.
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Disney Entertainment Networks Also Hit
The Disney Entertainment Networks division, home to channels like Freeform and FX, will also lose staff.
Most of the job cuts in this unit will hit program planning and scheduling departments.
Broader Context: A Changing Media Industry
Disney’s layoffs highlight the tough decisions facing traditional broadcasters.
Cable subscriptions have declined sharply as viewers embrace streaming services.
At the same time, advertising dollars are flowing toward digital platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.
For companies like Disney, this shift means balancing investments in streaming with the need to manage costs in older businesses like cable and broadcast TV.
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What’s Next for ABC and Disney Networks?
This latest round of cuts fits into Disney’s broader strategy to streamline operations while investing in future growth areas, particularly streaming.
However, reducing staff and consolidating operations can impact the quality and speed of content production, raising questions about how ABC News and Disney’s cable channels will operate going forward.
- Will combining “20/20” and “Nightline” weaken both shows?
- Can a single production team manage all of “Good Morning America” effectively?
- What will happen to the data journalism and election coverage once handled by 538?
Disney has not officially commented on the specifics of these cuts, but industry experts say more cost-saving measures could follow as the company adapts to the streaming-first world.
