Culture Society, Identity and Belonging
CNN has announced 200 layoffs, equivalent to 6 per cent of its staff, in an attempt to digitise the business. In his first 15 months at the network, CEO Mark Thompson has introduced a paywall on its website and app and pushed non-TV, mobile-friendly formats like vertical video.
At the same time as making cuts, CNN is aiming to hire 100 people in the first half of 2025 into roles like data scientists and product engineers.
Per the NYT, it’s previewing a new streaming service and will release a new subscription offering based on lifestyle content such as food and fitness. Traditional cable TV is still CNN’s main revenue source, but the network has been in last place in the ratings table ever since the election.
In an interview, Thompson said he wanted CNN to avoid making assumptions during Trump 2.0, adding that allowing yourself to be typecast as a publisher “is bad journalism”.
