ABC News is facing approximately layoffs as part of sweeping workforce reductions at its parent company, Disney, according to a source familiar with the situation. The job cuts come amid a round of about 1,000 layoffs initiated under Disney’s new CEO, Josh D’Amaro.
On Tuesday, D’Amaro said the company is being “streamlined” in response to an increasingly unpredictable media landscape. Most of the reductions are expected to affect Disney’s consolidated marketing division led by Asad Ayaz, along with roles across its film and television units, ESPN, product and technology teams, and certain corporate departments.
“Over the past several months, we have looked at ways in which we can streamline our operations in various parts of the company to ensure we deliver the world-class creativity and innovation our fans value and expect from Disney,” D’Amaro told employees.
“Given the fast-moving pace of our industries, this requires us to constantly assess how to foster a more agile and technologically-enabled workforce to meet tomorrow’s needs. As a result, we will be eliminating roles in some parts of the company and have begun notifying impacted employees,” he added.
The restructuring follows a rocky period for the company’s new leadership team. ABC recently became entangled in controversy tied to “The Bachelorette,” while Disney also saw a high-profile partnership with OpenAI collapse, reports The New York Post.
Recent monetary drama for the network came after it pulled the reality series after a 2023 video surfaced showing star Taylor Frankie Paul throwing chairs at her estranged partner, Dakota Mortensen — footage that also showed her child being struck.
Because ABC licenses the show from Warner Bros., industry experts previously told Page Six that the network could be liable for between $50 million and $70 million if the program does not air.
Meanwhile, Disney’s three-year partnership with OpenAI — which included a $1 billion investment — came to an end after the tech company said it would shut down its Sora video generator just months after its debut.