Disney Faces More Layoffs Within ABC News, “Good Morning America,” And More

Strategic and financial struggles continue at the Walt Disney Company as the entertainment giant faces more layoffs. Over the past several years, Disney has executed several major rounds of firings as it realigns its strategic direction. Now, CEO Bob Iger is looking to cut headcount across various TV properties that fall under the corporate umbrella.

 

Reportedly, Disney is cutting approximately 140 jobs across the entertainment TV division, impacting assets such as National Geographic and Freeform.  It is expected that National Geographic, which recently released the documentary “Fauci” about the controversial Covid doctor, will face the steepest cut of 60 jobs, or about 13 percent of its staff.

 

However, other areas of the business, such as ABC News and its “Good Morning America Show,” are undergoing a reevaluation of headcount as well.

 

According to reports, Disney executives have called for a $19 million reduction in the business, an increase from a prior request of $17 million.  Sources claim Disney’s cost-cutting initiative has been projected to occur by the end of the company’s fiscal year in September.

The American Tribune has reported on a number of financial challenges Disney has faced over the past several years.

 

Recently, activist investor Ike Perlmutter, the former chairman of Marvel Entertainment, dumped nearly 26 million shares of Disney stock, worth roughly $3 billion in market value.  The move sent Disney’s share price spiraling.

 

Disney has also consistently generated controversy with conservative consumers for its political activism and woke agenda that has been increasingly inserted into its entertainment offerings.  For example, the company engaged in a political battle with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over his initiatives to protect parental rights in education.  Moreover, Disney has garnered a reputation for woke politicized themes in its newest shows and movies, turning off some audiences.

 

Conservative commentator Megyn Kelly recently blasted the company over the initiatives, after previous reports indicated that Disney may have lost as much as $900 billion on massive movie flops from titles such as Elemental,” “Lightyear,” and “The Little Mermaid.”  Kelly asserted that the incessant wokeness in entertainment is creating a massive financial loss.

 

“Apparently, there’s an analysis out there showing that films like Lightyear, in which they decided to make Buzz Lightyear gay. The Little Mermaid, which is now woke…elemental, that’s one of the ones that includes a non-binary character which has one of the worst openings ever. Worst opening weekend in company history. We could go down the list,” Kelly said.  “The people are not buying this content. They don’t want this content,” the commentator added.

 

However, Disney CEO Bob Iger addressed the criticisms of his company and it woke agenda, claiming that the company’s “number one priority” was to entertain its audience, not send a political message.  “I’ve been preaching this for a long time at the company before I left and since I came back that our No. 1 goal is to entertain. I think, like, the term woke is thrown around rather liberally, no pun intended in that regard. I think a lot of people don’t even understand really what it means,” Iger said. “The bottom line is that infusing messaging as a sort of No. 1 priority in our films and TV shows is not what we’re up to. They need to be entertaining.”