According to Variety, layoffs have recently hit the streaming marketing team of HBO and Max. Variety was told by source tied to the situation on Wednesday that the layoffs are currently in the double digits. The content division of HBO and Max have yet to be impacted. The layoff is part of an ongoing plan to have a large-scale staff reduction across Warner Bros. Discovery.
According to Variety, the news of the layoffs is currently the most recent downsizing move that Warner Bros Discovery brands have taken since the companies merged in April of 2022. Since the merger, the company has been rebranding and cutting off employees in planned-out process. The layoffs are taking place amid the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike that has been going on for the past months.
Warner Bros. Discovery combined HBO Max-Discovery + Streaming service Max which launched back on May 23rd, according to Variety. Investors were warned to expect a drop in streaming subscribers from Q1 to Q2. On August third Warner Bros. Discovery had reported a total loss of 1.8 million streaming subscribers from the beginning of April to the end of June. On the earnings report, the company also stated that it will be increasing its post- WarnerMedia- Discovery merger synergy target to more than five billion in the course of the next three years. This signaled more layoffs to come following the cut of the cable group that happened in June.
Since the merger Warner Bros. has laid off many people as well as canceled many series such as Westworld, The Time Traveler’s Wife, Titans, Doom Patrol, Pennyworth, and many others.
There has been no word from representatives of HBO and Max over the layoffs as they have not yet responded to comment on the matter.