Disney/ABC Set To Eliminate 175 Jobs

The Disney/ABC Television Group will begin to lay off about 175 staffers tomorrow in a move to shift resources towards the new digital ways viewers are consuming content.

"As technological advances continue to alter the competitive landscape and viewer habits, it's incumbent upon us to stay ahead of the curve," the company said in a statement. "To that end, we've undergone a review of our organizational structures and processes, and have re-imagined and realigned certain areas and functions to gain efficiencies and better position us for future growth."

The 175 positions represent about 2% of a workforce of ABC/Disney's 7,600 staffers.

Over the next weeks, the layoffs will take place mainly in the operations area and at the owned station group. While positions are being eliminated now, other jobs requiring different skill sets are likely to need to be filled in the future.

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.