Hollywood is seeing a wave of staff reductions from the corporate suites to the theme park turnstiles as entertainment giants including the Walt Disney Co. and Endeavor implement layoffs and furloughs in response to the Chinese coronavirus pandemic.
Just how bad is the carnage? In Los Angeles County alone, 14,000 entertainment-related workers saw their jobs evaporate in less than two months, according to a new report from tech news outlet dot.LA. Meanwhile, Tinseltown could see even more bloodshed in the second quarter, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Endeavor — the largest Hollywood talent agency, as well as a studio — recently said that it will lay off or furlough up to a third of its staff. Disney has furloughed more than 100,000 employees worldwide, mostly in the company’s parks division.
Hollywood has been hit on multiple fronts, including the closure of cinemas and the suspension of live sports, which is usually a cash cow for broadcasters. The L.A. office of Fox Sports Productions saw 3,595 people temporarily laid off at the end of April, according to dot.LA.
Turning Point Action endorses Ken Paxton in Texas Senate race
Nancy Guthrie was expected at friend’s home, not church on day she vanished: source
Teen who shared cabin with Anna Kepner faces federal scrutiny in cruise ship death
Appeals court backs Noem move to end TPS protections for Nepal, Honduras, Nicaragua
Watch: ‘Miracle on Ice’ Legend Mike Eruzione Scolds Whining US Olympians for Getting Political
Trump says he will block US-Canada Bridge unless Canada negotiates on trade
Keir Starmer insists he won’t resign amid potential replacements already emerging
Court rules against California ICE mask ban in win for Trump administration
No More Super Bowls for California – Seahawks QB Will Reportedly Owe Money for Winning a Ring Thanks to State’s Insane Tax Laws
Jeffries accuses Republicans of ‘voter suppression’ over bill requiring voter ID, proof of citizenship
House passes bipartisan housing bill as Trump zeroes in on affordability crisis
US Forces Board Vessel ‘Operating in Defiance’ of Trump’s Quarantine: ‘It Ran, and We Followed’
Why the NFL doesn’t care about Bad Bunny MAGA backlash
NFL Rookie Charged with 5 Felonies After Allegedly Crashing Into WNBA Player’s Vehicle and Hitting a Police Officer
Hagerty urges FCC to punish Verizon over release of Senate phone data
Some of the biggest job losses have come from the production sector, which consists of below-the-line crew members who typically toil year round on crowded movie and TV sets. Hollywood’s trade unions have seen their members idle without work as soundstages around the country remain empty.
Breitbart News reported last week that Hollywood studios are currently working on ways to make sets safe when production ultimately resumes. While no major studio has yet to announce a timetable, one source told Breitbart that U.S. production may resume in June at the earliest.
But L.A. County’s decision to prolong its stay-at-home order for an additional three months is only creating more uncertainty.
Tyler Perry recently announced that his Atlanta studio will resume limited production in July. Countries including New Zealand, Poland, the Czech Republic have also announced that shooting can resume.
The Hollywood Reporter noted that individual studios are remaining vague about potential future layoffs. But some executives have spoken about coronavirus-related cost savings.
Turning Point Action endorses Ken Paxton in Texas Senate race
Nancy Guthrie was expected at friend’s home, not church on day she vanished: source
Teen who shared cabin with Anna Kepner faces federal scrutiny in cruise ship death
Appeals court backs Noem move to end TPS protections for Nepal, Honduras, Nicaragua
Watch: ‘Miracle on Ice’ Legend Mike Eruzione Scolds Whining US Olympians for Getting Political
Trump says he will block US-Canada Bridge unless Canada negotiates on trade
Keir Starmer insists he won’t resign amid potential replacements already emerging
Court rules against California ICE mask ban in win for Trump administration
No More Super Bowls for California – Seahawks QB Will Reportedly Owe Money for Winning a Ring Thanks to State’s Insane Tax Laws
Jeffries accuses Republicans of ‘voter suppression’ over bill requiring voter ID, proof of citizenship
House passes bipartisan housing bill as Trump zeroes in on affordability crisis
US Forces Board Vessel ‘Operating in Defiance’ of Trump’s Quarantine: ‘It Ran, and We Followed’
Why the NFL doesn’t care about Bad Bunny MAGA backlash
NFL Rookie Charged with 5 Felonies After Allegedly Crashing Into WNBA Player’s Vehicle and Hitting a Police Officer
Hagerty urges FCC to punish Verizon over release of Senate phone data
ViacomCBS has indicated that it will take more cost-cutting steps in addition to the ones already realized from the re-merger of Viacom and CBS.
Chief financial officer Christina Spade said the company was “taking additional cost-cutting actions and implementing initiatives to reduce discretionary expenses” amid the pandemic. “We are learning from this crisis and finding ways that we can operate more efficiently,” she said during a recent earnings call.
Meanwhile, Disney has begun the gradual process of re-opening its theme parks and resorts. Disney Springs in Orlando is set to partially re-open on May 20, though the adjacent Walt Disney World remains closed. Shanghai Disney Resort recently opened again with visitors required to take special precautions, including social distancing and masks.
Story cited here.
