ABC News and its group of local stations were hit with 75 layoffs Wednesday as part of an ongoing restructuring at parent company Disney.
ABC News President Armin Karmemedovic broke the news to staff in a memo obtained by the Post, saying the station had to make a “tough decision.”
“A limited number of colleagues across various ranks at ABC News have been affected by the layoffs,” he said. “You know, this has been happening across the company and across the industry in recent weeks and months.”
The executive, who was promoted to president in August after serving as executive producer of the top-ranked “World News Tonight with David Muir,'' said his challenge was to “build a team that embraces the new media landscape.'' “It will evolve in line with the media,” he said. Along with that. ”
ABC News did not comment on the layoffs.
A person familiar with the situation confirmed the layoffs will affect 75 jobs across ABC News and the ABC Broadcasting Group, and will be split evenly.
The official added that on-air talent in either category will not be affected.
The person said programming will not be affected and entire teams will not be eliminated, adding that the company is making changes that are “sustainable, efficient and future-proof.”
Networks are pivoting toward a new media environment. Disney/Nathan Martin
Under Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger, Disney has been in the throes of cost-cutting and restructuring in recent months.
Last month, the company reduced its corporate structure and reorganized its organization. A TV studio group with all scripted programming in one division.including the closure of ABC Signature Studios and folding into 20th TV.
In late July, the Post reported that ABC News' Good Morning America staffers were bracing for layoffs amid calls for profit cuts ahead of Disney's fiscal year end on Sept. 30.
At the time of this report, Disney's television group was hit with layoffs, with 140 jobs cut across networks such as NatGeo and Freeform.
Earlier this year, Disney-owned animation studio Pixar cut about 175 jobs, and last year the Mouse House went through a major reorganization, cutting about 7,000 jobs.
