Massive job cuts worsen diversity problem at Warner Bros. Discovery
Last April, HBO Max and Discovery Plus merged, allowing Warner Media and Discovery to diversify their content portfolio. From this collaboration was born the new company “Warner Bros. Discovery” or WBD. Furthermore, David Zasla, the CEO of WBD, has undertaken a massive restructuring for the good of his company. Hence the layoffs and the cancellation of several films and shows.
With one of the most unfavorable geopolitical situation currently, Warner Bros. Television also laid off 19% of its employees. Additionally, the studio decided not to fill 43 vacancies, representing 26% of its total jobs. He also closed his workshop of writers and directors, which only accentuates the problem of diversities that WBD encounters.
Removed Writers’ and Directors’ Workshop
This shop had been around for over 40 years before WBDTV shut it down. It allowed emerging writers and directors from underrepresented backgrounds to break into the industry, along with alumni. For example, there was Luke Cage, Zake Schwartz, Jude Weng, Jaffar Mahmood, Regine King or LaToya Morgan. But hard times forced leaders to end it.
” I hope these changes, made with a view to a more focused business strategy, will strengthen and stabilize our business, maintain our tremendous creative output, and better position us for continued future success. explained Channing Dungey, CEO of Warner Bros. In addition, the company found itself facing another diversity issue, which led it to cancel its plans to close the workshop.
Diversity at WBD
The company recently said the workshops will no longer be canceled and will house them in its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) pipeline. This change appears to be the result of the Directors Guild of America (DGA)’s statement that it plans to thwart WB’s plans to ax workshops.
The DGA has not accepted that society is rolling back years of advancement for women and directors of color. The DGA also added that it was in contact with WB and received their commitment on the subject. Thus, the DGA succeeded in calming the problem of diversity in the company a little.
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