CNN announced it is laying off around 210 employees—6 percent of its workforce—just days into President Donald Trump’s second term, as part of a cost-cutting move to prioritize digital expansion.
The staff cuts, which CEO Mark Thompson detailed in a Thursday memo, will help CNN reduce production costs and consolidate teams as it restructures its traditional TV business and builds out digital subscription offerings, CNBC reported. Some shows produced in New York and Washington may be moved to Atlanta, where production is cheaper, according to sources familiar with the internal deliberations.
CNN has faced steep financial losses and plummeting ratings in recent years. The liberal network’s revenue tanked around $400 million in three years, according to financial metrics revealed at its recent defamation trial. Primetime ratings have plunged 62 percent since 2020, while total-day viewership has dropped 58 percent overall and 71 percent among those aged 25 to 54 over the four years.
CNN lost the defamation lawsuit on Friday and was ordered to pay $5 million in economic and emotional damages. A jury found that the network defamed Navy veteran Zachary Young by portraying him as an "illegal profiteer" who operated in a "black market" while he worked to evacuate Afghans during the Biden administration’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. The network also paid an undisclosed settlement to Young to avoid punitive damages.
Trump criticized CNN throughout his first term, accusing the network of biased reporting and labeling it "fake news."
"I am overall very sad and deeply frustrated," a longtime CNN staffer said of the network’s situation. "It's a time of a complete and utter business model overhaul and chaos. Extremely difficult even under the best circumstances." Thompson acknowledged in his memo that "whatever the total number of job losses, the impact on the individuals involved can be immense," adding that "the process of change is essential if we’re to thrive in the future."
"Our objective is a simple one: to shift CNN’s gravity towards the platforms and products where the audience themselves are shifting," Thompson continued, referring to the network’s plans to hire at least 100 new employees in the coming months to expand its digital presence.
NBC News is also planning layoffs this week, although the cuts are expected to remain under 50 employees, according to sources familiar with the matter. The Washington Post announced earlier this month that it will cut around 4 percent of its staff amid mounting financial and subscription losses, while the Associated Press revealed plans in November to reduce its workforce by 8 percent as it looks to modernize its operations and products.