ABC News Staffers Are ‘Freaking the F— out’ About Rumored Changes

ABC News staffers are reportedly “freaking the f— out” amid reports that Disney is in talks to sell off its ABC network and local TV stations. According to a report from Bloomberg, the entertainment giant reportedly met with Nexstar Media Group and talks are in the preliminary stage, leaving many at ABC News wondering what a potential sale and a new corporate parent could mean for the network.

More than half-dozen people inside and around ABC News that spoke to Oliver Darcy amid the report described “a feeling of dread and trepidation,” Darcy wrote in CNN’s Reliable Sources newsletter. One staffer said “everyone is freaking the f— out,” with another adding that “it’s all anyone at work is talking about.” Many expressed apprehension over how quickly a potential sale appeared to be progressing, with many also stating that they have remained in the dark regarding the future of the company, sharing that they are learning about Disney’s plans from the press rather than directly from Disney.

According to Bloomberg’s report, which cited people familiar with the negotiations, Disney and Nexstar, which owns dozens of local news stations and also owns NewsNation, are still in the early stages of discussions and a price hasn’t yet been named. One source told the outlet that Nexstar would only be interested in acquiring ABC at “the right price,” with another source revealing that Disney is also considering selling ABC to Byron Allen, the CEO of Entertainment Studios, which owns The Weather Channel and several other stations.

Bloomberg‘s report comes amid major changes currently taking place at ABC News, which is currently undergoing major cost-cutting measures. Per Reliable Resources, the news organization is being stricter when it comes to deciding whether to send camera crews into the field, and, in the place of complete camera crews, ABC News has reportedly begun using iPhones for shooting some stories. One source told Darcy that the network is also scaling back on traveling to save on costs.

It is unclear if these changes are related to the potential sale of ABC News, which would leave ABC News and its staffer’s futures uncertain. Darcy noted in the newsletter that the potential sale raises questions of whether Nexstar would merge NewsNation and ABC News into one entity, whether some stations would be divested, and what would happen to ESPN and Disney’s simulcast of sporting events.

At this time, Nexstar has not commented on the reports. Meanwhile, in a statement published on its website, Disney saidit’s “open to considering a variety of strategic options,” but “at this time The Walt Disney Company has made no decision with respect to the divestiture of ABC or any other property and any report to that effect is unfounded.” Sources told Darcy that Bob Iger is expected to make visit to his ABC News staffers next week in New York City, though he will likely be “limited on what he can say about the future of the outlet.”