News Summary
The entertainment industry in Los Angeles is grappling with significant layoffs attributed to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, strikes in Hollywood, and ongoing wildfires. Major companies, including NBCUniversal, Lionsgate, and PBS, have implemented workforce reductions, reflecting broader industry struggles. Noteworthy layoff events include cuts at Access Hollywood, Warner Bros., and Disney. As companies restructure, the role of media consumption and changing economic conditions further complicate employment stability. While city unions negotiate to avert local job losses, the industry remains under pressure to adapt to shifting demands.
Los Angeles – As of late September 2025, the entertainment industry continues to experience significant layoffs, a trend that has been ongoing since previous years. Factors driving these job cuts include the lasting economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, two strikes in Hollywood, and the recent wildfires affecting the Los Angeles area.
Several major companies have been impacted by these layoffs. Access Hollywood, part of NBCUniversal, recently completed a round of layoffs at the end of September, although the exact number of staff laid off remains unclear. These cuts are reportedly connected to changes within E! News.
Lionsgate has announced a 5% reduction in its workforce, equating to about 50 employees, on top of an earlier announced 8% cut, bringing the total reduction to 13%. Meanwhile, CNBC has let go of 12 employees from its international operations, which include offices in Singapore, London, and other global locations.
PBS has notified 34 staff members of layoffs due to reduced federal funding for public media. Additionally, Anonymous Content experienced layoffs affecting nearly 15% of its 130 employees at the end of August. Other notable layoffs occurred at Lifetime, which cut most of its unscripted team, including its Vice President of Programming and Development, on August 20, and Hallmark, which eliminated 30 jobs on the same date to reshape its workforce in line with current business needs.
Warner Bros. has plans to enact layoffs affecting 10% of its overall workforce following a leadership split with Discovery Global. Similarly, Blumhouse laid off six staff members across its film, television, and casting divisions in mid-July as part of broader industry changes. Microsoft also contributed to layoffs, announcing a reduction of about 9,000 staff members or approximately 4% of its total workforce earlier in July.
In addition, BET has announced staff reductions, directly influenced by previous cuts from Paramount Global. Paramount has discussed a potential cut of 3.5% from its domestic workforce, attributing this decision to the decline in linear television viewership. Similarly, Warner Bros. Discovery initiated another round of layoffs especially affecting its cable business structure.
Disney has made cuts impacting several hundred employees across diverse departments in June, while Business Insider enforced a significant workforce reduction of 21% at the end of May. Earlier, NowThis laid off 13 of its 21 remaining Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) members immediately after alerting them.
The LA Times reported that it laid off 14 staffers in September, reflecting a 6% reduction in its newsroom. With these recent adjustments, NBCUniversal has also laid off personnel as it undergoes restructuring in preparation for the creation of a new company known as SpinCo.
Additional layoffs have been recorded at Mattel, affecting around 120 employees by mid-March 2025, and ABC/Disney, which impacted nearly 200 employees in the ABC News Group and entertainment networks due to restructuring needs. Back in January 2025, CNN cut approximately 200 jobs as part of its strategy to merge its linear and digital operations, while YouTube also laid off over 100 employees following Google’s reductions across multiple sectors.
On the municipal level, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has successfully reached an agreement with city unions to avert layoffs, reversing previous plans that threatened over 1,600 city jobs. This agreement includes provisions for offering unpaid holidays while shifting employees into available roles across city departments.
The broader entertainment industry continues to navigate these significant changes and the ongoing job losses, a reflection of global economic challenges and evolving patterns in media consumption. This situation underscores the precarious nature of employment within the sector and the potential for further restructuring as companies adapt to a changing landscape.
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Additional Resources
- Deadline: Hollywood Media Layoffs List
- NBC Los Angeles: LA Times More Layoffs
- LA Times: Mayor Announces All Layoffs of City Workers Avoided
- San Francisco Chronicle: KDFC, KUSC Layoffs
- KPVI: City of Los Angeles Avoids Layoffs Despite $1 Billion Deficit
- Wikipedia: Los Angeles
- Google Search: Hollywood Layoffs
- Google Scholar: Entertainment Industry Layoffs
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Los Angeles
- Google News: Hollywood Layoffs 2025
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