CNN CEO Mark Thompson announced a round of layoffs on Wednesday, totaling around 100 employees. The network chief said the shakeup was part of a new plan to transition the cable news network into the digital age. In recent months, the beleaguered news network has faced the lowest rating in three decades.
“Turning a great news organization towards the future is not a one-day affair,” Thompson said in a memo to staff. “It happens in stages and over time.”
He described these changes as a critical milestone in CNN‘s transformation. As part of this restructuring, approximately three percent of CNN’s workforce will be laid off.
Thompson envisions a subscription service that will generate over $1 billion in revenue. This initiative follows the short-lived launch and cancellation of CNN+ in 2022, following the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery. His strategy also includes unifying CNN‘s disparate divisions of U.S. television, international television, and digital under one umbrella, aiming to utilize newsroom resources better.
Additionally, Thompson emphasized using artificial intelligence (AI) to further CNN’s mission, highlighting a “follow the sun” news model for round-the-clock global coverage. Consequently, CNN will expand its Hong Kong office and increase reliance on its London and Los Angeles bureaus. The CEO contends this will enhance the network’s response to unexpected news events.
The National Pulse reported last week that CNN media reporter Hadas Gold admitted the network—among others—failed to adequately cover Joe Biden‘s cognitive decline because they feared it would help former President Donald J. Trump‘s 2024 presidential re-election campaign.
Distrust in television news, especially at CNN, has likely had a far more detrimental impact on revenue than its programming or newsroom and bureau structure.
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