ABC News, ‘GMA’ staffers brace for layoffs as Disney demands budget slashes: sources

ABC News staffers are bracing for major cuts as the Disney-owned network slashes budgets — with even those at top-rated “Good Morning America” on the chopping block, The Post has learned. The Mouse House has demanded that “GMA” reduce its bottom line by a whopping $19 million, up from previous projections of $17 million, before the end of Disney’s fiscal year on Sept. 30, an insider with knowledge told The Post. The expected layoffs come as Disney began bringing down the ax at its TV group on Wednesday, slashing 140 jobs at its networks that include NatGeo and Freeform, Bloomberg reported. Staffers at “Good Morning America” are bracing for layoffs under ABC News boss Debra OConnell. ABC Meanwhile, sources told The Post that the “GMA” cuts won’t be coming from the eight-figure salaries of the show’s top talent — Robin Roberts, Michael Strahan and George Stephanopoulos. It’s the behind-the-scenes staffers like bookers and producers who will likely get the shaft, the insiders added. “They all have contracts, so there will be no cut at that level,” a former ABC News exec said of the hosts, who are estimated to make between $17 million and $18 million each. “But they will have to cut jobs.” Explore More ABC News declined to comment. The pending cuts at “GMA” come as the show loses ground to NBC’s “Today,” which is a close second in total viewers and consistently on top when it comes to viewers ages 25-54, a key advertising demographic. In the second quarter of the year, Nielsen said “GMA” reeled in 2.8 million total viewers and 494,000 viewers in the demo, while “Today” amassed 2.7 million viewers and 620,000 demo viewers. ABC News boss Debra OConnell is looking to clean up the network and focus on “GMA,” which has been slipping in the ratings. Getty Images “‘GMA’ is not doing quality stuff,” said another former ABC News exec. “There’s not a lot of taped pieces. It’s more live hits and there’s a lot of [segments] selling stuff in studio.” Aside from outright cuts, both sources said “GMA” and the network’s other shows can deploy local reporters instead of sending national correspondents to cover events — an increasingly common practice at penny-pinching rivals like CBS News, which also parted ways with longtime “Evening News” anchor Norah O’Donnell on Tuesday. ABC News will likely employ a hiring freeze and not fill listed open jobs, the first source said. There are already rumblings that ABC News Group and Networks president Debra OConnell will save big on one salary by not hiring an executive to replace former ABC News president Kim Godwin, who stepped down in May after a tumultuous three-year run. Even as “GMA” co-hosts Michael Strahan, Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos all pull in massive salaries, sources said management will likely look for cost savings elsewhere. ABC ABC News is rolling out their cuts as part of larger cuts at parent company Disney. Getty Images The source said OConnell will likely promote one of her deputies instead — a far thriftier option and one that will allow her to keep tabs on the inner workings of the network. Either way, the pending cuts come as OConnell looks to clean up the network after Godwin’s reign, which includes ridding the network of the former exec’s cronies. “It’s going to be very difficult,” the source said of the cuts. “The network is really cut close to the bone.”