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Staff have also grumbled about the cost of a recent lawsuit
GOOD Morning America staff are angry with anchors Robin Roberts, Michael Strahan and George Stephanopoulos for making millions of dollars while their hard-working colleagues are being laid off.
Insiders told The U.S. Sun that employees have been fuming about the apparent unfairness in the recent layoffs and Robin, 64, George, 64, and Michael, 53, are, in part, targets of ire.
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Top earners like Michael Strahan, Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos, have caught the ire of staff who feel this week’s ABC layoffs have been unfairCredit: Getty
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Staff feel that the layoffs unfairly hit the lower earners at ABC and some believe top talent should have taken a pay cut insteadCredit: ABC
“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.
“People think it’s just not fair.”
George’s contract was reportedly renewed in late 2024, despite ABC settling a lawsuit with then President-elect Donald Trump, 78, after the network was sued over the newsman’s statements.
The GMA anchor erroneously said on air that that Trump was found liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll.
Trump was actually found liable for sexually abusing and defaming Carroll.
The insider continued, “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.”
Meanwhile, another news industry insider surmised that the days of the mega-multi-million-dollar contracts are coming to an end.
“Little by little, this is all going away. These bigger salaries are all going away. George was recently renewed, but the news industry just can’t keep supporting these salaries anymore.”Q
THE AMY & TJ EFFECT
As previously reported by The U.S. Sun, multiple insiders have revealed that widespread layoffs at ABC News Group and Disney Entertainment have created a “nightmare” for employees across the board, with GMA3 bearing the brunt of the cuts.
“It is a complete s***show” at the network’s studios in New York City, one insider griped.
With production for the morning and afternoon editions of Good Morning America now merged, staffers from the lower-rated GMA3 have been hit hardest, facing the largest wave of layoffs.
Many of the displaced employees from the afternoon spinoff have pointed fingers at their former cohosts, whose undeniable on-air chemistry was never replicated after their departure.
Michael Strahan’s plans for future revealed after ‘quitting GMA’ following Fox NFL Sunday uncertainty
“Staff blamed Amy and TJ for being selfish and ruining the show, essentially, when they were let go.
“They’ve never hired anyone with quite the same level of charisma that TJ and Amy had that had people tuning in to watch them together.”
According to the insider, “Amy and TJ got let go for being selfish two years ago, and now the rest of us are being fired in the fallout.
“They’ve ruined it for everyone else and now the whole staff is gone.”
GMA3 is currently hosted by Eva Pilgrim and DeMarco Morgan.
The layoffs, however, extend far beyond GMA3, with programs across all time slots at ABC feeling the impact.
NEW OFFICE VIBES
Some insiders believe the warning signs were there for quite some time, especially after the network relocated to its new downtown headquarters.
According to one source, the office setup has undergone a dramatic transformation.
“There are no longer assigned desks with personal photos of people’s families and other personal effects.
“Staff are now sharing desks and there are lockers where you can put your things and pick them up at the end of your shift.
“It’s a very different work landscape than they had in the old uptown ABC offices.”
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Robin is estimated to be making $20 million a yearCredit: ABC
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George, who just resigned his contract with ABC is believed to be making around $18 million a yearCredit: ABC
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Michael reportedly makes around $17 million a year with the networkCredit: Instagram/goodmorningamerica
