The first round of layoffs at Walt Disney, announced this morning in a company-wide memo, are already beginning to include some major losses.
Multiple media sources affirm that among those getting the pink slip are Mark Levenstein, Hulu’s senior vice president of production, and Jayne Bieber, Freeform’s senior vice president of production management and operations. Additionally, the VP of development who oversees creative acquisitions for 20th Television Studios, Elizabeth Newman, is being let go.
Newman’s acquisitions department will be dissolved, with its functions being absorbed by the studio. Bieber and Levenstein’s respective production teams will be folded under Carol Turner, currently ABC Signature’s EVP of production. She’s now expected to take on an expanded role with network and platform production for scripted television across Disney Entertainment being consolidated under her. She will report to Eric Schrier, president of Disney Television Studios and global original television strategy for Disney Entertainment.
Multiple media sources affirm that among those getting the pink slip are Mark Levenstein, Hulu’s senior vice president of production, and Jayne Bieber, Freeform’s senior vice president of production management and operations. Additionally, the VP of development who oversees creative acquisitions for 20th Television Studios, Elizabeth Newman, is being let go.
Newman’s acquisitions department will be dissolved, with its functions being absorbed by the studio. Bieber and Levenstein’s respective production teams will be folded under Carol Turner, currently ABC Signature’s EVP of production. She’s now expected to take on an expanded role with network and platform production for scripted television across Disney Entertainment being consolidated under her. She will report to Eric Schrier, president of Disney Television Studios and global original television strategy for Disney Entertainment.
- 3/27/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
Updated: Details are starting to emerge about the first wave of Disney layoffs. It involves a consolidation of production operations across Disney TV Studios, Hulu, Freeform and FX under Carol Turner and the shutdown of the studio operation’s Creative Acquisitions department.
Carol Turner
Mark Levenstein, SVP Production for Hulu, and Jayne Bieber, SVP, Production Management & Operations for Freeform, are leaving as Turner, EVP and head of production for ABC Signature, is taking on an expanded role, with Network and Platform production for scripted television across Disney Entertainment getting consolidated under her. 20th Television EVP and head of production Nissa Diederich, and Nick Lombardo, SVP and head of production for FX, will now to report to her.
In her new role, Turner will report to Eric Schrier, Disney Television Studios & Global Original Television Strategy for Disney Entertainment.
Additionally, Elizabeth Newman, VP of Development who was based at 20th Television while...
Carol Turner
Mark Levenstein, SVP Production for Hulu, and Jayne Bieber, SVP, Production Management & Operations for Freeform, are leaving as Turner, EVP and head of production for ABC Signature, is taking on an expanded role, with Network and Platform production for scripted television across Disney Entertainment getting consolidated under her. 20th Television EVP and head of production Nissa Diederich, and Nick Lombardo, SVP and head of production for FX, will now to report to her.
In her new role, Turner will report to Eric Schrier, Disney Television Studios & Global Original Television Strategy for Disney Entertainment.
Additionally, Elizabeth Newman, VP of Development who was based at 20th Television while...
- 3/27/2023
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Layoffs have begun in Disney’s television divisions.
Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Monday’s layoffs focused production and acquisitions. Among the notable staffers let go Monday are Jayne Bieber, senior vp production at Freeform/Onyx Collective; Mark Levenstein, head of production and postproduction at Hulu; and Elizabeth Newman, head of Disney’s acquisitions department.
Sources note Newman’s entire acquisitions team has been dissolved, while Bieber and Levenstein’s production teams will be folded under Carol Turner, exec vp production at ABC Signature. That team will continue to report to Eric Schrier, whom Dana Walden promoted late last year to president of Disney Television Studios and business operations at Disney General Entertainment.
Details on the size of Monday’s layoffs or what percentage of Disney’s workforce were impacted were not immediately available as additional TV side layoffs are expected to come by week’s end, with the largest round coming in April.
Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Monday’s layoffs focused production and acquisitions. Among the notable staffers let go Monday are Jayne Bieber, senior vp production at Freeform/Onyx Collective; Mark Levenstein, head of production and postproduction at Hulu; and Elizabeth Newman, head of Disney’s acquisitions department.
Sources note Newman’s entire acquisitions team has been dissolved, while Bieber and Levenstein’s production teams will be folded under Carol Turner, exec vp production at ABC Signature. That team will continue to report to Eric Schrier, whom Dana Walden promoted late last year to president of Disney Television Studios and business operations at Disney General Entertainment.
Details on the size of Monday’s layoffs or what percentage of Disney’s workforce were impacted were not immediately available as additional TV side layoffs are expected to come by week’s end, with the largest round coming in April.
- 3/27/2023
- by Lesley Goldberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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