The Walt Disney Company is issuing pink slips to around 200 workers, with the job losses primarily concentrated at its ABC News division and Disney Entertainment Networks.
As part of the layoffs, Disney is also closing its political analysis website Five Thirty Eight (stylized as 538), which was acquired by ESPN in 2014 and moved to ABC News four years later. Slightly more than a dozen employees will be laid off as a result of the closure. Nate Silver, the founder of Five Thirty Eight, was laid off by Disney two years ago.
A number of ABC News units are consolidating, resulting in job cuts across those teams. “Good Morning America” will absorb the team responsible for the spin-off program “GMA3: What You Need to Know,” while “Nightline” and “20/20” will merge their editorial and production units.
Disney Entertainment Networks, which operates Disney-owned linear cable channels like FX, National Geographic and Freeform, will also experience staffing cuts that primarily affect workers in programming and scheduling.
“Rethinking the way we work to future-proof our team regrettably includes reductions to our extraordinary staff,” Almin Karamehmedovic, the President of ABC News, said in a memo distributed to employees on Wednesday.
He continued: “These decisions are incredibly challenging and today will undoubtedly be difficult for our organization. It bears repeating how profoundly grateful and proud I am to be leading a truly remarkable team that consistently delivers the best our profession has to offer. I’d especially like to acknowledge the outstanding contributions made by our departing colleagues, who have our respect, gratitude and empathy.”
The layoffs are the latest to afflict Disney and its various business units. Other job consolidations and eliminations include:
- April 2023: Reports indicate Disney will begin laying off workers at its ESPN sports business. Later, the company affirmed it would cut jobs at ESPN as part of a broader restructuring and to address certain operational expenses.
- June 2023: Disney completes a plan to eliminate 7,000 jobs across its various businesses, including ABC, ESPN, ABC News, Disney Plus and Walt Disney Pictures. Also in June, Disney laid off its entire staff of writers at the science and culture magazine National Geographic.
- May 2024: Disney lays off nearly 200 workers at Pixar, a film production studio it acquired in 2006. The layoffs are a rare moment for Pixar, which is typically insulated from job cuts at Disney.
- July 2024: Disney issues 140 pink slips to workers at National Geographic and some of its local ABC-owned television stations.
- September 2024: Disney cuts around 300 jobs that impact human resources, finance, communications and legal units.
- October 2024: Disney releases around 75 workers from ABC News and its local ABC television businesses, with employees released from Disney’s operations in New York City, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., among other places.
The full memo from ABC News President Almin Karamehmedovic is reproduced below:
Team,
As we’ve often talked about, streamlining our operation to best serve our viewers and continue to position ourselves as a leading news organization has been a goal for some time.
Rethinking the way we work to future-proof our team regrettably includes reductions to our extraordinary staff. These decisions are incredibly challenging and today will undoubtedly be difficult for our organization.
It bears repeating how profoundly grateful and proud I am to be leading a truly remarkable team that consistently delivers the best our profession has to offer. I’d especially like to acknowledge the outstanding contributions made by our departing colleagues, who have our respect, gratitude and empathy. Employee Assistance Program (EAP) representatives are onsite today and will be available all week for anyone who would like to reach out.
Additional information will be shared by your leaders in the coming days and weeks. I’d like to thank you all in advance for your patience and understanding as this process rolls out and encourage you to talk to your leader or HR business partner about any questions or concerns in the meantime.
As we look ahead, I remain confident in our ability to continue to set the bar for journalistic excellence. I am so proud of all that you do.
Thank you.
