Disney Television Braces for Massive Layoffs Amid Streaming Shift

The Walt Disney Company has been experiencing layoffs in various departments this year, but the next wave of job cuts is expected to be much larger and more significant. According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, hundreds of employees at Disney Television will lose their jobs as part of a major reorganization effort under newly appointed chairman Debra OConnell.

The reorganization aims to consolidate divisions within Disney television and adjust the structure to focus on streaming rather than linear TV. This move is seen as necessary due to the shift in viewing habits, with many consumers opting for online content over traditional broadcast TV. As a result, multiple people will be doing the same job, leading to redundancies and layoffs.

The affected divisions include ABC Entertainment, 20th Television, Hulu Originals, Disney Kids & Family National Geographic Content, Freeform, and ABC News. While executives may be safe during the layoff process, some may still face job cuts as part of the restructuring effort. The exact timeline for the reorganization and layoffs is unclear, but they are expected to happen soon.

Disney has already experienced several rounds of layoffs this year, including a recent wave that hit HR and IT departments. Additional layoffs are also anticipated in the Legal & Global Affairs division following a memo from VP Horacio Gutierrez.