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.
Judge dismisses DOJ judicial misconduct complaint against James Boasberg
Schumer nukes GOP push for ‘Jim Crow-era’ voter ID laws in Trump-backed shutdown package
Celebrities Try to Lecture Americans with Flood of Anti-ICE Virtue Signalling at Grammys
Turning Point USA launches rival halftime show with star-studded lineup as NFL faces Super Bowl backlash
Melania documentary reception and box office reflects ‘disconnect’ of critics and audiences: Joe Concha
BREAKING: Police Have a ‘Crime Scene’ in Disappearance of ‘Today’ Show Host Savannah Guthrie’s Mom
Detransitioner Wins Multi-Million Dollar Medical Malpractice Case That Could Lead to the End of So-Called ‘Gender Affirming Care’
Illegal immigrant in Florida charged with arson, felony criminal mischief, sheriff says
Federal agents arrest 2 more in connection to Minnesota church storming
Biden-Appointed Federal Judge Smacks Down Minnesota’s Attempt to Block ICE Crackdown
Arizona man accused of human smuggling is a repeat offender who once ‘threw rocks’ at Army helicopter: docs
DOJ ramps up focus on violent agitators in Minnesota as resignations strain fraud cases
Groundhog Day: Punxsutawney Phil makes 140th weather prediction
Where things stand with the government shutdown and how soon it could end
House panel moves to consider criminal referrals for the Clintons
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.
Judge dismisses DOJ judicial misconduct complaint against James Boasberg
Schumer nukes GOP push for ‘Jim Crow-era’ voter ID laws in Trump-backed shutdown package
Celebrities Try to Lecture Americans with Flood of Anti-ICE Virtue Signalling at Grammys
Turning Point USA launches rival halftime show with star-studded lineup as NFL faces Super Bowl backlash
Melania documentary reception and box office reflects ‘disconnect’ of critics and audiences: Joe Concha
BREAKING: Police Have a ‘Crime Scene’ in Disappearance of ‘Today’ Show Host Savannah Guthrie’s Mom
Detransitioner Wins Multi-Million Dollar Medical Malpractice Case That Could Lead to the End of So-Called ‘Gender Affirming Care’
Illegal immigrant in Florida charged with arson, felony criminal mischief, sheriff says
Federal agents arrest 2 more in connection to Minnesota church storming
Biden-Appointed Federal Judge Smacks Down Minnesota’s Attempt to Block ICE Crackdown
Arizona man accused of human smuggling is a repeat offender who once ‘threw rocks’ at Army helicopter: docs
DOJ ramps up focus on violent agitators in Minnesota as resignations strain fraud cases
Groundhog Day: Punxsutawney Phil makes 140th weather prediction
Where things stand with the government shutdown and how soon it could end
House panel moves to consider criminal referrals for the Clintons
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.
