{
  "id": 11855881,
  "title": "Disney layoffs have already hit marketing & other teams, but there may be more to come",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/disney-layoffs-have-already-hit-marketing-other-teams-but-there-may",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-04T03:12:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Times of India",
    "slug": "times-of-india",
    "url": "https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/disneylayoffs-have-already-hit-marketing-pixar-abc-news-and-espn-but-there-may-be-more-to-come-heres-the-smaller-team-memo-reportedly-sent-by-a-top-exec/articleshow/134669141.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Disney is set to implement a major restructuring of its television business, potentially leading to hundreds of layoffs, according to sources familiar with the matter reported by The Wall Street Journal. The changes are expected to be finalized by the end of the year and are part of a broader initiative to streamline operations across the media giant. This move follows a series of workforce reductions initiated by Disney's CEO Josh D'Amaro, who took the helm in March.\n\nThe restructuring comes on the heels of previous layoffs that affected teams at Pixar, the marketing department, ABC News, and ESPN. Recently, Disney announced the layoff of over 300 employees, primarily from human resources and IT functions. Additionally, the legal and global affairs division, which employs around 1,000 people, is also preparing for further cuts, according to an internal memo.\n\nDisney's strategy aims to transition from a collection of separate entities to a cohesive digital entertainment system. This shift has led to significant leadership changes, with Adam Smith appointed as chairman of streaming and Karandeep Anand named chief technology officer. The company also introduced a voluntary early-retirement package for executives over 50 with a decade of tenure, pending results from the television restructuring.\n\nCentral to the new TV reorganisation is Debra OConnell, Disney's Entertainment Television Chairman, who oversees a wide range of production brands and development teams acquired through the 2019 acquisition of 21st Century Fox. The reorganisation seeks to align production teams with modern streaming viewing habits, moving away from traditional broadcast structures. Disney president and chief creative officer Dana Walden emphasized the need for tighter coordination and consolidation of operations previously run independently.",
  "summary": "The Walt Disney Company is preparing to restructure its extensive television operations, which may lead to layoffs. This overhaul is part of a larger initiative to streamline its corporate structure under new CEO Josh D’Amaro. As part of the changes, Disney's legal division is also expected to face job cuts. The reorganization aims to unify production teams in response to changing consumer…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}