ABC News Announces 75 Job Cuts Amid Disney Consolidation Efforts
ICARO Media Group
### ABC News Faces 75 Job Cuts Amid Disney Restructuring
ABC News has announced a reduction of 75 jobs as part of ongoing restructuring efforts by its parent company, Disney. ABC News president Almin Karamehmedovic communicated the news to staff via a memo, acknowledging the necessity of making "tough decisions" due to broader industry and company changes.
Karamehmedovic, who was promoted to president in August from his role as executive producer of "World News Tonight with David Muir," emphasized the need for ABC News to adapt to the evolving media landscape. He stated that these staffing changes aim to create a sustainable and efficient team capable of maintaining high standards in reporting and content delivery.
The job cuts are distributed evenly across ABC News and ABC's stations group. A source familiar with the situation confirmed that no on-air talent would be affected, and overall programming would remain unaffected. No complete teams are being disbanded as part of the restructuring, which aims to position the company for future challenges.
Chad Matthews, president of ABC-owned TV stations, echoed these sentiments in his own memo, stressing the industry's current transformation and the necessity of adaptation without compromising viewer commitment.
Under the leadership of CEO Bob Iger, Disney has been aggressively pursuing cost-cutting measures and structural reorganization. Recent actions include eliminating positions within its corporate structure and revamping its TV studios, notably folding ABC Signature into 20th Television.
Earlier reports suggested that "Good Morning America" staff anticipated potential layoffs as Disney aimed to trim expenses ahead of the fiscal year ending on Sept. 30. In addition to layoffs, other cost-saving measures under consideration include deploying local reporters instead of more expensive national correspondents and instituting a hiring freeze.
This latest round of job cuts follows a series of significant reductions across various Disney divisions, including a notable reduction of 140 positions at networks like NatGeo and Freeform, alongside previous cuts at Pixar and major restructuring efforts last year that resulted in the loss of around 7,000 jobs.