Across the United States, a wave of layoffs and executive shakeups is sweeping through major companies in both the technology and media sectors, underscoring a period of profound change and uncertainty for thousands of workers and the broader industries they serve. From Silicon Valley to Hollywood, the past week has brought a string of announcements that will reshape the workforce, influence content creation, and alter the competitive landscape for years to come.
In California’s Bay Area, the ripple effects of the tech downturn continue to be felt. According to state filings obtained by The Mercury News, Bill.com, a prominent South Bay technology firm, is preparing to eliminate 84 jobs at its North San Jose headquarters. The cuts are scheduled to take effect on December 15, 2025, and are part of a broader pattern of downsizing that has characterized the region’s once-booming tech industry over the past two years. Bill.com confirmed that these layoffs will be permanent, a sobering reality for affected employees and their families.
The situation is equally stark at Chevron, the energy giant with deep roots in California’s East Bay. Chevron, which recently relocated its headquarters from San Ramon to Houston in a high-profile corporate migration to Texas, has notified the state Employment Development Department (EDD) that it will be eliminating 100 jobs in San Ramon on October 23, 2025. Additionally, 75 positions will be cut in Bakersfield, a city in Kern County. These reductions follow an earlier round of layoffs that saw 600 Bay Area jobs disappear, highlighting the ongoing exodus of corporate powerhouses from California to other states.
Both Chevron and Bill.com have emphasized their commitment to supporting displaced workers. As Chevron’s manager of state government affairs, Henry Perea, wrote in a WARN letter to the EDD, “We are providing severance pay, medical continuation coverage, access to education and training resources, and outplacement assistance.” While such measures offer some relief, they also serve as a reminder of the challenges facing workers as industries adapt to new economic realities.
The tech sector is not alone in this reckoning. The media industry, long subject to the whims of shifting consumer habits and technological disruption, is bracing for another round of upheaval. Paramount Skydance, the entertainment conglomerate formed from the merger of Paramount and Skydance, is reportedly set to begin mass layoffs the week of October 20, 2025. According to Deadline, these cuts will occur in multiple waves through the end of the year, with company chairman and CEO David Ellison aiming to slash $2 billion in costs. This follows previous reductions, including a 3.5% cut of the U.S. workforce in June 2025 and a 15% reduction during the summer and fall of 2024.
The motivation behind these drastic measures is multifaceted. Paramount, whose long-term debt stood at $14.2 billion at the time of its final earnings report before the Skydance transaction, is seeking to fortify its operations and invest in new content. A $1.5 billion infusion from the Skydance Investor Group has helped shore up finances, but the company’s ambitions extend even further. Paramount is reportedly pursuing a blockbuster acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, a deal that could cost as much as $60 billion and would fundamentally reshape the entertainment landscape.
Not all the news is grim, however. In a move that signals confidence in its creative future, Meadowlark Media announced on October 20, 2025, that Bimal Kapadia will take the helm as CEO, succeeding John Skipper. As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Kapadia brings a wealth of experience to the role, having served as Meadowlark’s COO since its inception in 2021 and holding prior leadership roles at The Players’ Tribune and ESPN FC. Dan Le Batard, Meadowlark’s co-founder, praised Kapadia’s “experience, care and vision to render our weird spaceship a new kind of media machine as turbulence rattles the rest of the industry and country.” Kapadia himself said his job is to allow Le Batard to focus on content creation, adding, “Dan is one of the best storytellers, thinkers, creatives that’s out there.”
Elsewhere in the media world, the impact of these changes is being felt in programming and sports broadcasting. ESPN’s long-standing tradition of “Monday Night Football” doubleheaders may persist into next season if the company’s new deal with the National Football League is not finalized by spring. According to Front Office Sports, the proposed agreement would end the doubleheaders after the spring of 2026, shifting four games to NFL Network’s inventory. However, if negotiations drag on, ESPN could continue its current format, maintaining a key fixture for football fans across the country. Under the new arrangement, ESPN would air a single “Monday Night Football” game for the first 17 weeks of the season, with a doubleheader on Saturday in Week 18 and two playoff games. The high-profile partnership will culminate with ESPN and Disney-owned ABC broadcasting Super Bowl LXI from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles at the close of the 2026 season.
Meanwhile, NBC Sports is doubling down on star power with the launch of a season-long interview series featuring NBA legend Michael Jordan. Announced on October 20, 2025, “MJ: Insights to Excellence” will debut with a segment during halftime of the Rockets-Thunder game on October 21, 2025. Hosted by Mike Tirico, the series promises to offer fans a rare glimpse into the mind and career of one of basketball’s greatest icons.
Sports broadcasting is also evolving in the digital age. Major League Soccer playoff matches will be available to all Apple TV subscribers at no additional cost, as reported by Sports Business Journal. Select games will also air on FS1, Fox Deportes, TSN, and RDS, broadening access for fans across North America. FanDuel, a major player in sports betting and media, announced an extension of its media rights contract to televise Euroleague Basketball games through 2028, ensuring continued coverage on FanDuel TV Extra, FanDuel TV+, and other platforms.
On the international stage, the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica have joined forces in a joint bid to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2031. The bid, announced in New York City, reflects growing momentum for women’s soccer in the region. In a sign of the times, the tournament will stream exclusively on Netflix in the United States and Canada, marking a significant shift in how major sporting events reach audiences.
As layoffs and leadership changes send shockwaves through the tech and media sectors, companies are racing to adapt to new market realities, invest in content, and capture the loyalty of increasingly fragmented audiences. The coming months promise more uncertainty, but also the potential for reinvention and resilience in industries that have long defined American innovation and culture.
