Warner Bros. to Lay Off 600

Warner Bros. Entertainment is eliminating 800 jobs, or about 10% of its global workforce, becoming the latest media company to take drastic cost-cutting measures amid a deepening recession. The move is expected to save the movie and television studio more than $50 million annually in costs.

Walt Disney is also expected to make substantial cuts in its ABC television division. On Tuesday, radio broadcaster Clear Channel Communications slashed 1,850 jobs, or 9% of its employees.

Of the 800 positions being eliminated by Time Warner’s Warner Bros. studio, about 600 people will be laid off across all divisions; another 200 open positions will not be filled.

About 300 positions in management information systems, finance and accounting will be outsourced to India and Poland.

In addition, about 155 people who work in “back office” positions will be offered jobs with a third-party outsourcing company on the Burbank lot.