Hollywood
Disney to cut 1,000 jobs as new CEO Josh D’Amaro streamlines ops
Layoffs span marketing, ESPN and studios as Disney adapts to industry shifts
CALIFORNIA: The Walt Disney Company has begun laying off employees as its new chief executive Josh D’Amaro moves to streamline operations and recalibrate the business for a shifting entertainment landscape.
About 1,000 positions will be eliminated, according to a person familiar with the development.
The cuts will affect multiple divisions, including marketing, studio and television operations, ESPN, as well as products, technology and certain corporate functions. The marketing unit, notably, had already undergone a restructuring earlier this year.
In an internal email seen by Reuters, The Walt Disney Company chief executive Josh D’Amaro said the changes were part of a broader push to future-proof the company. “Given the fast-moving pace of our industries, this requires us to constantly assess how to foster a more agile and technologically-enabled workforce to meet tomorrow’s needs,” he wrote, adding that some roles would be eliminated as a result.
Notifications have already begun rolling out this week, signalling the start of another round of belt-tightening at the entertainment giant.
The move comes as Disney and its peers grapple with a tough new reality. Traditional television revenues are declining, box office returns have softened, and competition in streaming remains intense. Rivals such as Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Skydance have also undertaken layoffs in recent months, underlining a broader industry reset.
This is not Disney’s first major workforce reduction. In 2023, the company announced plans to cut 7,000 jobs in a cost-saving drive aimed at reducing expenses by $5.5 billion. At the time, it was also facing pressure from activist investor Nelson Peltz to improve financial performance and rein in streaming losses.
As of the end of its last fiscal year in September, Disney employed roughly 231,000 people worldwide.
The latest cuts suggest that even as the magic endures on screen, behind the scenes Disney is tightening its script to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving media world.
