‘GMA’ staff fume as Robin Roberts, Michael Strahan and George Stephanopoulos make millions amid layoffs
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: ‘Good Morning America’ staff members are fuming as anchors Robin Roberts, Michael Strahan and George Stephanopoulos continue to make millions of dollars amid mass layoff of the support staff.
Speaking to The US Sun, insiders said that the staff members are angry at the unfairness as the top brass still receives hefty salaries while the hardworking support staff are being laid off.
One of the sources shared that Roberts, 64, Stephanopoulos, 64, and Strahan, 53, are particularly targeted because of their pay slips which range between $17 million to $20 million.
'GMA' staff fuming at anchors for making millions
"There is a lot of resentment that all these employees are losing their jobs making $100,000 or $150,000 a year, but Robin is making $20 million, Michael is making $17 million and George, who gets sued for $15 million, still gets his $18 million salary,” shared a source to the outlet, while admitting, "People think it's just not fair."
Stephanopoulos’ contract was reportedly renewed in late 2024, as he continued with his million-dollar earning stint.
As the Disney-owned ABC laid off several employees in the recent past, the insider noted, "The people at the bottom are getting hit the worst, it might seem illogical but people think maybe the big talent should take the pay cut instead."
Though the shows still continue to harbor top-billed journalists who earn millions, another insider mused that the days of mega contracts are nearing an end.
"Little by little, this is all going away. These bigger salaries are all going away,” shared the source, before adding, “George was recently renewed, but the news industry just can't keep supporting these salaries anymore."
ABC News employee compares job cuts to 'massacre'
Previously it was reported by the New York Post that ABC News "entirely gutted" the staff working on the third hour of 'Good Morning America', or the 'GMA3', as part of its latest layoffs.
After the network head Almin Karamehmedovic announced the lay-offs, one of the shocking firings was Catherine McKenzie, the executive producer of 'GMA3'. Speaking to the Status newsletter, one employee described the somber mood of the office following the multiple layoffs and compared the job cuts to “a massacre".
Another ABC News employee shared that “it’s a very somber scene in the building — people crying and upset.”
As the network underwent a major shake-up in its hierarchy, another employee summarized the situation, noting, “It’s all about doing more with less. That’s what this is.”
Another staffer compared the uncertainty and cut-throat competition with that of the series, 'Squid Game', and said, “You just feel like you’ve made it to level seven of ‘Squid Games’ at this point if you’ve survived.”
“I don’t know if you have watched ‘Squid Game', but they put you in teams and they pit you against each other," continued the employee before adding, "And then they just watch and it’s brutal. And then even the people who win the prize in the end … they’re so unhappy. That is literally network TV.”
