Disney begins cuts
March 28, 2023
The Walt Disney Company is beginning the process of cutting about 7,000 jobs.CEO Bob Iger said the cuts would start this week and last until the early summer, with the bulk taking place in April. Iger said the measures were needed for Disney to adopt “a more effective, co-ordinated and streamlined approach to our business”. He plans to cut $3 billion from content budgets and $2.5 billion in other costs.
The cuts are expected to be spread around, they are the first big reductions at Disney since 2019, when the company cut thousands of jobs after completing its acquisition of 21st Century Fox.
Among the first cuts are in Hulu and other channels. Production operations across Disney TV Studios, Hulu, FX and Freeform now falling under Carol Turner and the creative acquisitions division closed.
Hulu’s SVP of production, Mark Levenstein, and Freeform’s SVP of production management & operations, Jayne Bieber, are among the casualties.
Disney Television Studios is also closing down its creative acquisitions department, which was launched in 2021 to secure the rights to books, podcasts and other IP that could be developed by ABC Signature and 20th Television into shows for Disney platforms.
“In tough moments, we must always do what is required to ensure Disney can continue delivering exceptional entertainment to audiences and guests around the world – now, and long into the future,” wrote Iger.