A new wave of layoffs is sweeping through Hollywood, continuing a period of deep economic instability for workers across the entertainment and media sectors.
Last week, Paramount laid off approximately 1,000 employees following its takeover by Skydance Media. The cuts affected numerous divisions, including CBS, CBS News, Comedy Central, MTV, and the company’s historic Melrose Avenue studio. An additional 1,000 job reductions are anticipated in the coming weeks.
This move is part of a broader industry trend. Cable provider Charter Communications recently announced it would lay off 1,200 people nationwide due to rising competition. Last month, NBC News cut 150 employees amid declining ratings and advertising revenue. Other recent staff reductions include 100 positions at the Disneyland Resort and a massive 14,000-person cut at Amazon, which impacted its gaming, film, and television studios. These follow significant job losses earlier this year at major companies like Walt Disney Co., Warner Bros. Discovery, NBCUniversal, and Six Flags Entertainment Corp.
The industry’s workforce has faced a relentless series of economic hurdles over the last five years. The challenges began with the pandemic and were followed by the dual actors’ and writers’ strikes in 2023, a sharp reduction in studio spending on streaming content, and an outflow of productions to lower-cost locations like the U.K. More recently, fires in Altadena and the Pacific Palisades destroyed the homes of many industry workers. The situation has been compounded by the end of federal food assistance programs, which affects 5.5 million Californians, including some in the entertainment field.
“It’s been one crisis after another, without enough time in between,” said Keith McNutt, western regional executive director of the Entertainment Community Fund, a nonprofit providing social services to industry professionals. “People are concerned and very worried and really trying very hard to figure out where they go from here.”
McNutt noted a sharp increase in demand for the fund’s services, which include healthcare and financial counseling, a career center, and emergency grants. He said clients range from low-income workers to veteran professionals with decades of experience whose savings were depleted by the pandemic and subsequent industry downturn.
David Rambo, chair of the fund’s western council, added, “It has been snowballing very slowly for about five years.”
While many hope that California’s newly expanded film and television tax credit program will eventually bring productions and jobs back to the state, the benefits will take time to materialize in employment data.
For those recently laid off, McNutt advises contacting the fund’s health insurance team to review their options and working with career counselors to identify how their skills can transfer to other employers. Most importantly, he stressed the need to avoid isolation.
“You’re not alone,” he said. “Nobody’s alone in this situation that the industry is finding itself in right now, and so reach out to your friends, reach out to your colleagues. If you’re not comfortable with that, reach out to the Entertainment Community Fund.”
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