Report: Disney to cut 175 jobs at ABC

The Disney/ABC Television Group is set to lay off around 175 staff across ABC television stations, according to a report.

The cuts will come from job cuts and not filling open positions, according to an unnamed source quoted by The LA Times. Most of these cuts will affect local TV channels and staff in technical operations posts, the Times reported.

Disney/ABC Television employs around 7,600 people overall, and the cuts are reportedly part of a wider restructure of The Walt Disney Company business, which has already seen hundreds of jobs cut at sportscaster ESPN. The Times reported there have also been cuts at the consumer products, movie unit and video games division.

“As technological advances continue to alter the competitive landscape and viewer habits, it’s incumbent upon us to stay ahead of the curve. To that end, we’ve undergone a review of our organisational structures and processes, and have re-imagined and realigned certain areas and functions to gain efficiencies and better position us for future growth,” a Disney/ABC Television Group spokesman was quoted as saying.