ABC News is reportedly planning to cut up to 300 jobs or 20 percent of its total staff. All news department staffers will be receiving buyout offers over the next few days. ABC News president David Westin explains:
“The response to this voluntary program will determine the extent to which we will need to make further reductions. We anticipate that between now and the end of the year ABC News will undergo a fundamental transformation that will ultimately affect every corner of the enterprise.
“The time has come to re-think how we do what we are doing. When we are finished, many job descriptions will be different, different skill sets may be required, and, yes, we will likely have substantially fewer people on staff at ABC News.“
Sad, sad.