ABC News has undergone a significant shake-up, with widespread layoffs that heavily impacted GMA3, the third hour of Good Morning America. 

As part of corporate parent Walt Disney Co.’s cost-cutting measures, the network dismissed numerous staff members, including GMA3’s executive producer, Catherine McKenzie.

The cuts, which reportedly eliminated nearly 200 jobs across ABC News and Disney Entertainment Networks, left employees reeling. 

Some described the atmosphere as “grim,” with staff making frantic calls to one another, attempting to process the scale of the layoffs. 

One employee even likened the situation to a “massacre,” reflecting the shock and distress felt within the company.

ABC Restructures ‘GMA3’ and Other News Divisions

With McKenzie’s departure, production responsibilities for GMA3 are being absorbed by the team that oversees Good Morning America. 

Moving forward, GMA’s executive producer, Simone Swink, will oversee all GMA-branded programming across different time slots.

In addition to the GMA3 changes, ABC News made several leadership adjustments. Seni Tienabeso has been promoted to Vice President of ABC News Live, along with oversight of certain specialized units. Meanwhile, long-form news divisions such as ABC News Studios, 20/20, Nightline, and Impact x Nightline are being consolidated under a single leadership structure. Digital and social media teams will also be more closely integrated with the network’s news-gathering operations.

For many employees, these restructuring efforts signal a shift toward maximizing output with fewer resources. One staff member bluntly summarized the changes, saying, “It’s all about doing more with less. That’s what this is.”

Employees Compare Work Environment to ‘Squid Game’

The layoffs have left remaining employees anxious about their job security, with some comparing the experience to the brutal competition in Squid Game, the hit Netflix series where contestants are pitted against each other in a high-stakes battle for survival.

One staffer described the workplace as a cutthroat environment, saying, “You just feel like you’ve made it to level seven of Squid Games at this point if you’ve survived.” The employee continued, explaining that network television feels like a ruthless game where workers are forced to compete, only for even the winners to feel dissatisfied in the end.

Key Executives Among Those Let Go

Along with McKenzie, other high-profile figures at ABC News were impacted by the layoffs. Cindy Galli, an executive producer on the network’s investigative team, was dismissed. Galli had led reports on government fraud, corporate corruption, and consumer protection.

Another major departure was Zach Toback, who served as Vice President of News and Non-Fiction Production and Studio Operations. Toback, who had been with ABC News for most of his career since 1995, played a key role in overseeing various ABC programs, including Good Morning America, World News Tonight with David Muir, The View, 20/20, and Nightline.

His departure is particularly noteworthy as he was instrumental in relocating ABC News operations to the new Robert A. Iger building in Manhattan’s Hudson Square. Despite his long tenure and contributions, Toback was among those cut in the latest round of downsizing.

FiveThirtyEight Team Also Eliminated

The layoffs extended beyond television, with ABC News’ digital division also taking a significant hit. The entire 15-member staff of FiveThirtyEight, a data-driven news site known for its political and sports analytics, was let go.

Founded by Nate Silver and later acquired by ESPN in 2013, FiveThirtyEight had built a reputation for in-depth polling aggregation and statistical modeling, particularly in election coverage. However, the site faced repeated downsizing under Disney’s ownership. After Silver’s departure in 2023, FiveThirtyEight was folded into ABC News, losing much of its independent identity.

The final round of layoffs was confirmed during a brief virtual meeting, in which ABC News boss Almin Karamehmedovic informed staff of their termination. Employees had already learned about their job losses the night before through a media report, but the call provided no additional explanation. Karamehmedovic reportedly read from a prepared statement, thanked the team for their work, declined to answer questions, and quickly ended the meeting.

A Changing Landscape at ABC News

These sweeping cuts are part of a larger effort by Disney to reduce costs across its media divisions. While ABC News remains a dominant force in broadcast journalism, the restructuring suggests a shift in strategy, with fewer employees handling a greater workload.

The future of GMA3 and other affected programs remains uncertain, but for now, ABC News employees are left grappling with the reality of a newsroom that looks drastically different from before.

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