TV News Faces the Layoff Reality

The television news industry is experiencing a seismic shift, mirroring the deep anxiety felt across the American workforce as a record wave of layoffs continues. For many in local and national newsrooms, the escalating job cuts are no longer just a story to cover—they are a personal, immediate reality.

In its 25 years of existence, FTVLive.com reports that 2025 has brought the highest number of TV news layoffs ever recorded. This internal crisis is only expected to deepen, with industry consolidation likely to drive further job cuts at many stations in 2026.

This fear and uncertainty within TV newsrooms is a direct reflection of a grim national trend. Announced job cuts from U.S. employers for 2025 have surged past 1.17 million through November, a figure that is 54% higher than the same period last year and represents the highest level of cuts since the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic fallout. Corporate restructuring, market/economic conditions, and the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) are driving the cuts across the board. AI alone has been cited as the reason for 54,694 layoffs this year across various sectors.

While massive announcements like Verizon's 13,000+ job slash in November make headlines, the pain is widespread. Tech companies, for example, have seen a 17% increase in reductions in 2025, driven by the same technological shifts that are forcing change in media. According to consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, November's layoff plans of 71,321 are highly significant, as cuts have only exceeded 70,000 in November twice since 2008 (2022 and 2008). This indicates the current environment is highly unusual and worrisome.

For the journalists and producers reporting this data, the statistics hit particularly close to home. They are grappling with the same questions as millions of other Americans: Will my job be next? How will new technology impact my role?

"Layoff plans fell last month, certainly a positive sign," said Andy Challenger, a workplace expert at the consulting firm. "That said, job cuts in November have risen above 70,000 only twice since 2008: in 2022 and in 2008."

The convergence of TV news's internal struggles—fueled by shrinking revenue and technological change—with the nationwide surge in corporate layoffs means the industry is not observing a national story from a safe distance; it is living it. As consolidation looms, the anxiety across newsrooms is palpable, transforming the layoff count from a statistic into a tangible threat to livelihoods.