A+E Networks underwent a round of staff cuts on Tuesday, with all divisions of the company — including programming, marketing and public relations at outlets including Lifetime, A&E and History — affected by the layoffs. Among those laid off are: diverse Lifetime has confirmed that senior vice president of non-scripted development and programming Amy Savitsky has left the company.
“We thank our departing employees for their tremendous contributions to our company,” an A+E Networks spokesperson said in a statement. A+E declined to disclose a specific number of employees who will leave as part of the cuts.
The layoffs at A+E Networks are part of a broader industry downsizing, particularly in the cable industry. The news comes on the same day that Paramount Global began its plan to lay off about 15% of its U.S. workforce, including the closure of its Paramount TV Studios division.
At A+E Networks, other departing senior executives include Lifetime vice presidents Kim Chesler and Kat Rodriguez, as well as History vice president of unscripted programming Zach Beer and A+E vice president of programming Peter Tarshis, a 31-year veteran who served as executive producer on its hit series “Biography.”
Savitsky assumed her most recent role in 2022; prior to that, she was senior vice president of development and programming at History, where she oversaw channel development and served as executive producer on series including “The Proof Is Out There” and “The Bermuda Triangle: Into Cursed Waters.” She was previously senior vice president of development and programming at A&E, where she was responsible for overseeing some of the network’s most popular series, including “Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath” and “Kids Behind Bars: Life or Parole.”
Chesler, on the other hand, has been with Lifetime since 2010, while Rodriguez joined in 2019. Behr first joined the company in 2011.
Deadline was the first to report the A+E layoffs.
