CNN plans to lay off hundreds following disappointing ratings after Election Day

Mark Thompson regarding significant layoffs at the network reflects a broader trend of declining viewership and financial instability within traditional media outlets. Following unsatisfactory ratings on Election Day, reports indicate that Thompson plans to terminate hundreds of employees, including prominent on-air personalities . This decision marks a continuation of a strategy initiated earlier in the year, wherein approximately 100 positions were eliminated as part of an effort to adapt to changing media consumption habits .

The cable network — which lagged behind rivals MSNBC and Fox News during last week’s Election Night coverage — will implement “layoffs that will impact hundreds of employees across the organization,” according to Puck News.

CNN’s television production teams whose “talents won’t necessarily be needed in the new digital-first landscape,” the outlet added.

Thompson, the former CEO of the New York Times and the BBC, may also demand deep cuts to the massive salaries raked in by its struggling primetime stable of anchors, which include Anderson Cooper, Erin Burnett and Kaitlan Collins.

. Burnett makes about $6 million and Collins takes home a more budget-friendly $3 million

As a result, reporters and correspondents will be required to cover their slack, they said - describing how on-air workers will be 'asked to assume more of the responsibilities once handled by teams of producers and production assistants.'     

Byers wrote: 'Redundant assignments will be nixed, and various divisions will be reduced or even eliminated.

'Some of the on-air talent are also likely to be affected,' he went on to reveal.

Sources who spoke to the reporter, who worked at CNN for three years before founding Puck, added how the looming layoffs are part of an overarching plan - one that puts a premium on the station's digital platforms.

Thompson's leadership comes during a pivotal time for CNN, which has witnessed a staggering decline in ratings—over 20 percent since his appointment in August . This downturn is particularly alarming given that CNN was once the leading cable news network during critical electoral moments. The current strategy emphasizes transitioning towards digital platforms and exploring innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence to "future-proof" the organization . However, these efforts may not be sufficient without addressing the immediate challenges posed by dwindling viewership.

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Sarah H

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