Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., give their views on the closing of federal DEI offices under the Trump administration on The Bottom Line.
Long-planned layoffs officially hit CNN Thursday, when about 6% of the network’s workforce was laid off.
CNN described the layoffs as a crucial step in securing the network’s future, telling its staff that “irreversible changes in the way American and global audiences consume news” have impacted its business model. As a result, around 200 jobs were lost.
“Our goal is simple: shift CNN’s importance to the platforms and products where audiences themselves evolve, and in doing so, secure CNN’s future as one of the world’s largest news organizations ” CNN CEO Mark Thompson said in a statement. internal rating obtained by Fox News Digital.
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CNN laid off around 200 employees on Thursday. (Elie Nouvelage/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
“America and the world need high-quality, unbiased and trustworthy news sources more than ever,” Thompson continued. “This difficult and sometimes painful process of change is the only way to ensure that we can always achieve this.”
On-air talent should not be affected by the cuts.
CNN also announced that it has “begun developing a new way for audiences at home and abroad to access a television version of CNN on any device they choose” via a new streaming service.
CNN highlighted a $70 million investment from parent company Warner Bros. Discovery which will ultimately lead to new job opportunities. Thompson said Thursday’s cuts are “first and foremost about investing in that future,” and suggested overall enrollment won’t decline too much in 2025 when plans are finalized.
“This is because of the $70 million we are investing in our digital plans and the many new jobs this will fund. Some of that money is going toward products and technology, but a lot of it is also going toward new high-quality journalism and storytelling is what we stand for,” Thompson wrote.
Long-planned layoffs officially hit CNN on Thursday, when about 6% of the network’s workforce was let go. (Getty/Getty Images)
“It is also the heart of any successful digital information strategy. At the same time, I know that whatever the total number of job losses, the impact on the individuals affected can be immense,” he said. -he continued. “The process of change is essential if we are to thrive in the future, but I both recognize and regret its very real human consequences.”
Thompson called budget cuts “an undesirable but inevitable part of the process of change.”
“We will endeavor to contact any colleagues who will be affected by these changes as soon as possible – and of course we will help and support them in any way we can afterwards,” Thompson wrote.
CNN has struggled in the ratings department for years and ended 2024 with its smallest audience in network history both among total day viewers and among advertisers’ coveted demographic of adults aged 25-54.
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks as CNN moderator Anderson Cooper looks on during a presidential town hall event at Sun Center Studios October 23, 2024 in Aston, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
Fox News Digital previously reported in November that CNN would face significant layoffs by March and that its impact on the network would be “highly significant.”
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Joseph A. Wulfsohn of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
