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CNN to Cut Costs, Lay Off Staff by Year’s End: ‘These Changes Will Not Be Easy’

CNN to Cut Costs, Lay Off Staff by Year’s End: ‘These Changes Will Not Be Easy’​

CNN is looking to cut costs by year’s end, including staff layoffs throughout the company, network chief Chris Licht announced in an all-staff memo Wednesday, the Chairman and CEO’s first sweeping move to reform the news network since taking control less than six months ago.

“There is widespread concern over the global economic outlook, and we must factor that risk into our long-term planning,” Licht wrote in the memo obtained by TheWrap. “All this together will mean noticeable changes to this organization.

“Our aim is to have most of these decisions made by the end of the year so we can start 2023 feeling settled and prepared for the future.”
 

Chris Licht Foreshadows CNN Layoffs in Memo to Staff​

CNN CEO Chris Licht is preparing his staff for a shakeup (read: layoffs). On Wednesday, Licht sent out a memo to employees, warning about macroeconomic factors impacting his news organization.
“There is widespread concern over the global economic outlook, and we must factor that risk into our long-term planning,” Licht wrote in the memo, which IndieWire obtained. “All this together will mean noticeable change to this organization. That, by definition, is unsettling. These changes will not be easy because they will affect people, budgets, and projects.”
“I will not allow these changes to affect our position as the world’s leading news source, and we will continue to invest in growth areas,” Licht wrote. “When we conclude this process, CNN will still be the largest, most-respected newsgathering organization in the world. We will continue to cover any story, anywhere, any time—with more resources than anyone else. Full stop.”
 
Just more of what we've already seen in radio these last six months.

Although exacerbated by the costly takeover by Discovery.
 
It also hasn't helped that, aside from very high profile breaking news events that people flock to CNN to see, that network's ratings haven't been great for a while. They're also going through a bit of an identity change, trying to pull back to the center and concentrate on delivering the news without as much of a lean to the left. Time will tell if that's successful. So far it's generated doubt from those on the right and even a bit of anger and distrust from those on the left.
 
The Discovery mess is shaping up to be the worst media takeover debacle in history. The backstabbing C-suite club is laser focused on their personal gain, and the actual product is seen as a burden that needs to be cut to the bone. What we are witnessing embodies the worst of everything already seen in radio, and then some.
 
Is CNN going more conservative or center?
That's the change they're still working through. Their plan was to move to the center and just provide the "news" without as much of a left lean or embellishment as they sometimes provided in the past... So leave MSNBC to lean left and Fox News, AONN, NewsMax and others to cater to the Trumpist republicans on the far right, while CNN would just give the "news". To that end, they've already had a few on-air staff depart and have moved other staff to different dayparts. As of now, no one seems convinced. Right wingers will always cast CNN as "fake news" and claim it's heavily biased, even if it sticks to the center and just gives factual reports and details. Those on the left are nervous and a bit distrusting, as they see CNN becoming more conservative and they're waiting to see just "how" conservative it will become.

What is true is that, aside from major news stories and events which people tended to go to CNN to learn about, their ratings haven't been great in quite some time. Time will tell if their latest moves will improve that. Also, depending on where the forthcoming budget and staffing cuts are made, that may also have an effect.
 
i wonder if Warner Brothers Discovery is willing to part ways with CNN and sell it to possibly the likes of Sinclair, Nexstar (Who already owns NewsNation) or even Bryon Allen and have a 1-2 punch of owning old legacy news media brand since he already owns The Weather Channel.
 
i wonder if Warner Brothers Discovery is willing to part ways with CNN and sell it to possibly the likes of Sinclair, Nexstar (Who already owns NewsNation) or even Bryon Allen and have a 1-2 punch of owning old legacy news media brand since he already owns The Weather Channel.

The idea has been discussed. Here's what John Malone says:

 
Hyperbole much? As if Warner did better under AT&T? Or combined with AOL? Maybe the problem is Warner.
Didn't AOL get spun out of the merger after Time Warner became the main company.

AOL bought Time/Warner and then became the dead weight of the company.
 
The Discovery mess is shaping up to be the worst media takeover debacle in history. The backstabbing C-suite club is laser focused on their personal gain, and the actual product is seen as a burden that needs to be cut to the bone. What we are witnessing embodies the worst of everything already seen in radio, and then some.
Makes the infamous 2000 AOL Time Warner merger a success.
 
i wonder if Warner Brothers Discovery is willing to part ways with CNN and sell it to possibly the likes of Sinclair, Nexstar (Who already owns NewsNation) or even Bryon Allen and have a 1-2 punch of owning old legacy news media brand since he already owns The Weather Channel.
Or Fox News Channel buys CNN and shuts it down.
 
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