LOS ANGELES – Great American Media, a faith and family-focused company founded by Bill Abbott in 2021, has recently experienced layoffs. Approximately 13 employees in top positions were let go on Monday, including the Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Vice President of Corporate Communications. The company, which saw a successful year with its Christmas launch and hosting of the Rose Parade, explained that the decision to restructure was driven by its desire to focus on its strengths and maximize the synergies between its brands and its streaming platform.
Great American Media, which received an investment from Sony in 2023, aims to align technology and content marketing to enhance the viewer and consumer experience across platforms. With an estimated 70 million linear/cable viewers, the company plans to consolidate key marketing functions into its technology team.
Despite these layoffs, Great American Family, a part of Great American Media, has reported robust business performance, with 12 consecutive months as the fastest-growing linear channel on TV. Bill Abbott, the founder, expressed excitement about the future of the media brand and the opportunities that the synergies with Sony and Great American Pure Flix present. The company plans to launch its first scripted series, “County Rescue,” which is an action-adventure medical drama, in February on Great American Pure Flix and Great American Family.
In addition, Great American Media is set to release mystery franchises in the first quarter of the year. These original movies will focus on the lighter side of mysteries and feature popular talent from the network. The challenges faced by Great American Media in the current advertising recession, the strike, and the rise of cord-cutting have been acknowledged by Abbott. However, he remains determined to navigate these obstacles and continue providing trusted family-friendly and faith-based entertainment.
To recap, Great American Media, a faith and family-focused company, has undergone a restructuring that resulted in the layoff of approximately 13 employees in top positions. The company aims to maximize synergies between its brands and its streaming platform, Great American Pure Flix. Despite the challenges posed by the advertising recession and cord-cutting trend, Great American Family, a division of Great American Media, has experienced significant growth as the fastest-growing linear channel on TV. The company’s founder, Bill Abbott, is optimistic about the future and plans to launch a scripted series and mystery franchises in the coming months.