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Paramount employees across the group's film, television and news divisions have described the recent job cuts, tied to its recently completed merger with Skydance Media, as abrupt and deeply unsettling, with many concerned about the scale and pace of the changes.
The merger has resulted in more than a thousand job losses to date, while another round of similar size is expected, amounting to roughly 10% of the studio’s 20,000 employees.
One longtime CBS News staff member said, “I’ve lost a lot of friends. A lot of really great writers and journalists have lost their jobs… It’s devastating.” The sentiment was echoed by another executive who called the shift “a new way of doing business” and added that “they didn’t show a lot of respect.”
“I’ve been through mergers before,” another former executive told Variety, “and there’s no other word to describe this one than 'merciless'.”
Restructuring fallout
Reports indicate that women in senior roles were disproportionately affected. Some 14 television executives were dismissed, and 11 of them were women. A source close to the company maintained that decisions were linked to structural realignment and not gender or political considerations.
An internal memo from CEO David Ellison stated that the reductions were essential to “position Paramount for long-term success.” Ellison referenced overlapping functions across departments following the merger and suggested that the new structure would be more efficient in focusing on priority content and platforms.
The deal had been promoted as a way to connect Paramount’s historical film library and global network with Skydance’s technology and production capabilities. At the time the merger was finalized, leaders described it as a “new path forward” intended to strengthen competitiveness in a shifting media environment.
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Concerns over representation
The layoffs follow recent cuts that drew scrutiny at CBS News, where the closure of its Race & Culture unit and dismissals affecting on-air correspondents raised questions about representation. Some former staff have claimed the restructuring disproportionately impacted employees of color, although the company has denied discrimination.
As talk emerges of a possible future combination with Warner Bros Discovery, staff remain uncertain about what the next phase will bring. While leadership emphasizes the restructuring as an investment in future stability, many employees are focused on the immediate reality of who remains and what culture will take shape from here.
