ABC News Staffers Now Doing More With Less

ABC News has drastically reduced the staff of the third hour of its flagship morning program, "Good Morning America," known as "GMA3," as part of widespread layoffs ordered by its parent company, Walt Disney Co., according to a report from the Status newsletter. The cuts included the dismissal of Catherine McKenzie, the executive producer of "GMA3," announced by network head Almin Karamehmedovic.

The atmosphere at ABC News turned bleak following the layoffs, which staffers described as devastating. One employee likened the cuts to "a massacre," while another painted a picture of despair, noting, "It's a very somber scene in the building — people crying and upset." Staffers were left reeling, making frantic phone calls to one another in an attempt to process the sudden changes.

The restructuring eliminated nearly 200 positions across ABC News and Disney Entertainment Networks. As a result, the production team for "Good Morning America" will now take charge of "GMA3." Simone Swink, the executive producer of "GMA," will oversee all "GMA"-branded programs across their various time slots, while Seni Tienabeso has been named VP of ABC News Live and select specialized units. Long-form programming, including ABC News Studios, "20/20," "Nightline," and "Impact x Nightline," will now fall under unified leadership, with digital and social operations more tightly integrated into newsroom and other teams.

Amid the upheaval, one employee captured the prevailing sentiment: "It's all about doing more with less. That's what this is." 

Among the notable casualties were Cindy Galli, an executive producer on ABC’s investigative team, known for its coverage of government fraud, corporate corruption, and consumer advocacy, and Zach Toback, vice president of news and non-fiction production and studio operations. Toback, a veteran of ABC News since 1995—save for a two-year stint at NBC News—oversaw resources for major programs like "GMA," "World News Tonight with David Muir," "The View," "20/20," and "Nightline." His exit is particularly significant given his key role in relocating ABC News to the new Robert A. Iger building in Manhattan’s Hudson Square last year, per Status.

The layoffs also hit ABC News Studios and the digital department, which lost about 30 employees. This included the entire 15-person team at FiveThirtyEight, the data-driven news site founded by Nate Silver.