Quick Read
- Disney has initiated layoffs affecting approximately 1,000 employees across multiple divisions, including studios and ESPN.
- The move is led by new CEO Josh D’Amaro as part of a wider effort to streamline operations and improve organizational agility.
- These cuts follow a strategic push to consolidate marketing and creative functions to combat rising costs and industry-wide shifts in media consumption.
BURBANK (Azat TV) – The Walt Disney Co. has officially commenced a new round of layoffs, eliminating approximately 1,000 positions across its global operations. The cuts, which began Tuesday, impact multiple key divisions, including television and film studios, the sports network ESPN, marketing departments, and corporate technology units.
Strategic Restructuring Under CEO Josh D’Amaro
This workforce reduction marks one of the first major organizational shifts under the leadership of Josh D’Amaro, who assumed the role of chief executive officer last month. D’Amaro notified employees of the decision in a company-wide memo, framing the layoffs as a necessary evolution to ensure the company remains agile in a volatile entertainment landscape. The move follows a broader trend of contraction within the media industry, as traditional players continue to grapple with the decline of linear television revenue and the mounting pressure to prioritize streaming profitability.
Consolidating Marketing and Creative Operations
The current layoffs are part of a larger, ongoing effort to centralize Disney’s sprawling infrastructure. In January, the company initiated the consolidation of its marketing operations under Chief Marketing and Brand Officer Asad Ayaz, aiming to eliminate redundant roles across its film, TV, and streaming businesses. By streamlining these departments, leadership intends to reduce operational complexity and reallocate resources toward core creative priorities. This pivot mirrors similar cost-cutting measures recently adopted by competitors, including Sony Pictures and Paramount Skydance, as major studios attempt to refine their business models.
The Broader Impact on Disney’s Workforce
While this round of job losses is smaller in scale compared to the 8,000 positions eliminated during the tenure of former CEO Bob Iger in 2022, the impact remains significant for the affected staff members. D’Amaro emphasized that the decisions were not a reflection of individual performance but rather a response to the need for more efficient resource management. As of the end of the 2025 fiscal year, Disney reported a total workforce of approximately 231,000 employees. The company has stated that it is providing resources and guidance to support those departing the organization during this transition.
The scale of these layoffs, while smaller than previous post-pandemic restructuring waves, underscores a permanent shift toward leaner operations as Disney prioritizes digital-first growth over the traditional, high-volume production models that defined its previous decade of expansion.