Disney faced another round of layoffs on Wednesday, reducing its television division workforce by approximately 140 employees, which accounts for 2 per cent of the team.
While no teams are being entirely disbanded, significant impacts will be felt by National Geographic, local TV stations, Freeform, and the network’s marketing and publicity departments.
National Geographic will see the most substantial cuts, with 60 employees, or roughly 13 per cent of its staff, being let go. This division became part of Disney's portfolio following its $71 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2019 and is renowned for its focus on nature and history.
These layoffs are part of Disney’s ongoing effort to achieve a $7.5 billion cost reduction. In May, Pixar Animation, a segment of Disney’s film division, also saw significant layoffs, with around 175 employees, or 14 per cent of its workforce, being cut. This move was driven by a strategic shift from direct-to-consumer series to feature films. Overall, in 2023, Disney reduced its global workforce by 3.6 per cent, impacting about 220,000 employees worldwide, as part of its cost-saving initiatives.
