Layoffs Hit ABC as Rumors About the Network's Future Swirl

Splinter News ^ | 10/13/2017 | David Uberti

[Beave Meister]

Disney/ABC TV has begun making long-feared layoffs as part of a broader restructuring of its broadcast business, with rumors swirling that bigger moves—including a possible sale of ABC—are coming.

Deadline first reported the staff reductions on Thursday, saying they could impact up to 200 employees across Disney and ABC properties. An ABC source with knowledge of the situation said that the cuts will hit upward of 40 of its employees on the East Coast and still more out west.

Multiple people at ABC told Splinter that there is a widespread belief at the network that the belt-tightening could be tied to a prospective sale by its corporate parent.

Disney’s broadcast division, which includes ABC and its local TV stations, is suffering from slumping ad rates and new competition from streaming services. The network’s top producer, Shonda Rhimes, creator of Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and How To Get Away With Murder, decamped from ABC for Netflix in August.

[RummyChick]

If you watched Ritter back in the day... watch another episode. You will see him in his son..especially top half of face, and way he acts.

[Beave Meister]

I moved out of LA about three and a half years ago. The taxes and cost of living were astronomical compared to where I live now. I live in the southwest suburbs of Chicago, still high but nowhere near what I was paying in LA.

[capydick]

Multiple people at ABC told Splinter that there is a widespread belief at the network that the belt-tightening could be tied to a prospective sale by its corporate parent.

Some suggestions to the new ownership, SBBC (Steve Bannon Broadcasting Company):

>Sell ESPN to BET

>Cancel The View

>Fire Steponallofus and replace with Bill O'Reilly (or someone who would make the left's heads explode)

>Bring back Tim Allen

Add more suggestions here: ________________________________________________

[fortheDeclaration]

You can’t attack a major portion of your audience and survive, no matter how big you are.

[laplata]

KY is beautiful. I was stationed at Fort Campbell and almost married a girl from Frankfort.
I suppose KY is no different than other states that the Progressives are ruining. It’s a shame.

[robroys woman]

In the last election it got the first Republican majority in a century. And it is a BIG majority.

And it got the first Republican governor in decades. And he is our own local trump, except more well spoken.

The comedy part is that the new AG is the son of the last Democrat governor. He is constantly suing our new governor to the point of blatant harassment.

[laplata]

Except for the AG, that’s good news.

[Intolerant in NJ]

Gee - ABC in trouble? - maybe a consortium of conservatives with the likes of Bannon et al should step in and rescue it.....

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Beave Meister. The Walt Disney Company (and Hearst Communications) also own the racist hate group marketed as ESPN.

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• Are We All Unconscious Racists?

[EdnaMode]

ABC ratings have taken a huge hit this season.

[Deplorable American1776]

Will a conservative buy ABC? I'd love to start a gofundme fund with fellow FReepers to buy ABC. I doubt Hillsdale has a journalism department, but if they did I'd hire those graduates for the news department, ask local filmmakers to do shows (Conservative, family value comedies and dramas, historical shows - including an honest show about Robert E. Lee, and maybe a show about different hobbies -Model slot car racing, trains and R/C boats...).

Anybody want to help?😀