Disney is planning to reduce staff by about 6% at ABC News Group and Disney Entertainment Networks, a person familiar with the matter on Tuesday (4), while the entertainment giant deals with the decline of the TV audience.
The layoffs, which would affect less than 200 employees in both units, should be announced as early as Wednesday, with most of the impact on ABC News, said the person, asking for anonymity, as the matter is confidential.
Some ABC programs, including “20/20” and “Nightline”, are being consolidated in a unit, the source said.
Disney is also integrating its digital teams from editorial and social networks with its own news, programs and stations, said the person.
ABC News is the home of the popular news talk show “Good Morning America”. The Wall Street Journal, which released the news early Tuesday, said that all three hours of the brand program will be consolidated under a leadership. The third hour of the program currently has a separate production team.
Media giants are reformulating their business strategies in response to the continuous migration of cable TV audiences to streaming platforms.
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ABC News did not immediately respond to a request for commentary Reuters.
Disney reported a 44% increase in stock -adjusted profit from October to December.
