Disney is laying off several hundred employees across its TV and film departments as the company turns its focus toward the launch of a new ESPN streaming platform.
The entertainment giant confirmed Monday that the job cuts affect staff working in film and television marketing, TV publicity, casting, development, and corporate financial operations.
A Disney spokesperson told FOX Business that while many are being impacted, no entire team is being eliminated.
"These changes are part of our continued effort to operate more efficiently while still supporting creativity and innovation," the spokesperson said.
This latest round of layoffs follows a previous cutback in March, when just under 200 employees at ABC News and Disney Entertainment Networks were let go.
Those reductions made up nearly 6% of that division's workforce. Most of the impacted staff came from ABC News.
The job losses are part of a larger company strategy started in 2023 when Disney CEO Bob Iger returned and announced a plan to cut 7,000 positions, TheHollywoodReporter said.
The company, which employs about 233,000 people worldwide, said it is continuing to evaluate its structure to stay competitive in a fast-changing media environment.
🚨 LAYOFF ALERT - Global 🌍
— The Layoff Tracker 🚨 (@WhatLayoff) June 2, 2025
Disney is laying off several hundred employees across its global operations. Affected teams include film & TV marketing, publicity, casting, development, and corporate finance. The company says the cuts are aimed at improving operational efficiency. pic.twitter.com/A8F2yIBELx
Disney to Launch Standalone ESPN Streaming Service
According to FoxNews, Disney is getting ready to roll out a major new product: a direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming service named ESPN, based on its well-known sports brand.
Although the official launch date hasn't been revealed, Disney says more details are expected by late summer.
The move comes as competition in the streaming market remains fierce. Disney joins other big players—like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Warner Bros. Discovery—in the race to dominate the online video space.
These companies have spent heavily on exclusive content, added new pricing models, and merged services to grow their audiences and stay profitable.
Disney hopes the new ESPN streaming platform will strengthen its position by focusing on live sports, a key area that still draws large audiences.
As fewer people watch traditional TV, companies are shifting resources to streaming in hopes of boosting subscriptions and cutting costs.
While these changes are tough for many employees, Disney says the moves are necessary to help the company stay strong in a fast-moving industry.
"We're working to invest smartly and manage our costs, while delivering the kind of quality and innovation people expect from Disney," the spokesperson added.
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