Corporate media network CNN is set to lay off hundreds of its employees as it continues to lose viewers and struggle financially. The move comes as the cable news channel aims to overhaul its prime-time programming lineup and transform its image in the early days of the second President Donald J. Trump administration.
The layoffs are likely to impact production staff, as CNN is believed to be moving to cut programming costs and consolidate its various news divisions first. Additionally, several of its shows based in New York City and Washington, D.C., will likely be moved to its headquarters in Atlanta, reducing the network’s overhead in the high-cost cities. If the initial changes are effective, CNN will likely cut its expensive on-air “talent” further.
Since taking over the network in the summer of 2023, CNN CEO Mark Thompson has initiated multiple attempts to reinvent the corporate media outlet. Under Thompson, CNN has already undergone several rounds of layoffs and shuttered the opinion section of its website. Additionally, several of the network’s longtime hosts and correspondents have either headed for or been pushed to the exits as Thompson slashed programming budgets.
The National Pulse previously reported CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins will return to her previous role as Chief White House Correspondent while continuing to host her show, The Source—a move largely seen as a cost-saving measure. Whether the changes will reverse CNN’s ratings collapse remains to be seen. The 2024 presidential election cycle saw the network hit an all-time low in prime-time viewer ratings.
Last week, CNN was hit with a major financial penalty due to a defamation lawsuit, further worsening the network’s financial position.
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