CNN’s top leader, Mark Thompson, has announced significant changes, including 100 job cuts and a new digital strategy that will feature a subscription-only service by the end of the year.
The layoffs, affecting about 3 percent of CNN’s workforce, were detailed in a memo from Thompson, who took charge of the network in October 2023.
Thompson, formerly the chief executive of The New York Times and a senior leader at the BBC, emphasized that the job cuts will span across the company.
The last time CNN experienced significant layoffs was in late 2022. This move is part of Thompson’s broader plan to position CNN as a leader in future news experiences.
As traditional cable subscriptions decline in favor of streaming services, CNN’s ratings have dropped sharply over the past two years, more so than its competitors, Fox News and MSNBC.
Additionally, CNN’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, is facing substantial debt and a significant drop in share price this year.
Despite these challenges, CNN recently garnered significant attention by broadcasting the first presidential debate in late June.
The debate, which was also made available to other outlets, attracted over 50 million viewers, with 9.5 million tuning in via CNN.
In his announcement, Thompson highlighted plans for CNN.com’s first subscription product, set to launch later this year. The network also aims to expand its lifestyle coverage with practical news offerings and explore advancements in artificial intelligence.
A major reorganization will see the merging of three separate newsrooms—U.S. news gathering, international news gathering, and digital news—under the leadership of Virginia Moseley.
On the television front, Thompson has directed his team to enhance audience competitiveness while monitoring production costs closely.
“Turning a great news organization toward the future is not a one-day affair,” Thompson wrote in his memo. “It happens in stages and over time.
Today’s announcements do not answer every question or solve every challenge we face. However, they do represent a significant step forward.
