Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that, as part of Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav’s effort to find $3 billion in post-merger cost savings, layoffs will impact several departments in the merged companies. Among those expected to be impacted are Channing Dungey’s Warner Bros. Television Group (which includes scripted, unscripted and alternative studios); possibly DC Comics, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and other units.Reps for Warner Bros. Discovery and WBTV declined to comment. 4-The idea that additional layoffs are coming is not necessarily new information, though the Tuesday timing is. A wave of layoffs hit Casey Bloys’ HBO Max and HBO teams in August, with an estimated 70 staffers let go as part of a larger restructuring.All facets of the merged Warner Bros. Discovery are being examined as Zaslav looks to save billions in staff redundancies and other areas. Sources tell THR that lower-level executives may be the focus of the layoffs at WBTV. Other departments, like ad sales, are rumored to be looking to cut costs by 20 percent to 30 percent through a combination of layoffs, travel and expense savings and supplier cuts.The Warner Bros. film group is likely not going to be impacted as part of Tuesday’s layoffs, as its new executive regime needs time to acclimate.Additional layoffs at other Warner Bros. Discovery divisions are expected.HBO Max and Discovery+ will be merged into one service next year. Executives are currently debating a new name for the service, as sources say much of the discussion is about whether the HBO name will remain part of it or if a broader name for the service would work better.THR will have more details on the cutbacks Tuesday.
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