Movies

More cuts at Disney as ABC News and TV stations shed 75 jobs

BBG News

As a seasoned moviegoer and a veteran of the ever-evolving media landscape, I can’t help but feel a pang of empathy for those affected by the latest round of layoffs at ABC and Disney. Having witnessed the transformation of industries firsthand, I know all too well the bittersweet dance between innovation and tradition.

75 jobs were cut from ABC’s television stations and news division within the Walt Disney Company on Wednesday, marking another wave of redundancies.

1) The reductions in staff were spread evenly between ABC News and its eight affiliate stations, such as KABC in Los Angeles. Notably, the on-screen journalists or presenters were unaffected by this workforce adjustment, as per an anonymous source who is privy to the plan but not allowed to speak publicly. The reductions were referred to as “precise,” meaning that neither local nor network programs were discontinued due to these cuts.

Looking towards the future, it’s crucial for us to shape a team that excels in producing top-tier content while maintaining efficiency and sustainability. To achieve this goal, there may be instances where we have to make challenging choices, as expressed by ABC News President Almin Karamehdovic in a staff memo, signaling upcoming layoffs.

A week ago, the Burbank-based entertainment corporation made job cuts, following which they had already eliminated 300 positions at their corporate level. Earlier rounds of layoffs happened in May, affecting 175 jobs within Disney’s Pixar division. Moreover, another 140 employees were terminated in July from Disney Entertainment Television.

Previously, Disney declared an aim to shed approximately 7,000 roles as part of their cost-cutting strategy and to boost profits within their streaming service sector. This objective has since been increased to 8,000 positions.

In the upcoming months, I anticipate that television news, whether local or national, will likely face significant job cuts as media companies grapple with the audience’s transition to online streaming video. Traditional networks and stations have expanded their news programming to digital platforms, but it seems that streaming news doesn’t draw the same viewership or advertising revenue as conventional TV.

Read More

2024-10-02 20:31

Previous post Robbie Williams is a monkey in first trailer for his biopic Better Man
Next post Doctor Who boss Russell T. Davies discusses the mysteries of “73 Yards”