Warner Bros. Discovery Slashes 70 HBO Max Jobs in Cost-Cutting Push
Warner Bros. Discovery lays off 70 employees across HBO and HBO Max as the newly merged company attempts to eliminate redundancies and save $3 billion.
Warner Bros. Discovery lays off 70 employees within the HBO and HBO Max teams as the newly merged company slashes personnel costs. The 14 percent staff reduction under chief content officer Casey Bloys primarily impacts unscripted and live-action family programming, along with casting, acquisitions, and international departments. These cuts come as the company attempts to save $3 billion in 2023 to manage a massive $53 billion debt load following the April merger between AT&T's WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc.
Fans of the streaming service express outrage over the restructuring, fearing the cancellation of beloved original scripted shows like "Hacks" and "Our Flag Means Death." Fortunately for viewers, the current layoffs do not affect these scripted hits, though the anxiety remains understandable. The company recently made headlines by shelving the nearly completed $70 million "Batgirl" film and canceling an animated Scooby Doo sequel.
The streaming platform also quietly removes six original movies featuring prominent actors like Anne Hathaway and Seth Rogen from its library. This turbulent period adds to a rough year for the media giant, which previously shut down its CNN+ streaming service just one month after launch at a loss of $300 million. Despite these challenges, the combined HBO, HBO Max, and Discovery+ services still maintain a strong base of 92.1 million subscribers.