‘Never Seen Morale Lower:’ CNN Crumbling as Mass Layoffs Loom
Note: This article may contain commentary reflecting the author's opinion.
During a CNN company-wide town hall meeting on Tuesday with a December of layoffs coming, CEO Chris Licht had to speak with his employees. One of those staffers at the meeting, after saying he had been with the network founded by Ted Turner for twenty years, attested that he had never seen morale lower than it is right now.
According to The Daily Mail, in spite of his June statement that “As it relates to CNN, there are no layoffs per se.” Licht was matter-of-factly unapologetic telling his employees that “We have also begun to reduce or eliminate areas that aren’t core to our mission. All these moves are designed to keep CNN essential across platforms to ensure that wherever and however people get their news, they must have CNN,” Licht wrote in a memo obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. “There is a lot more to be done. I am writing to you today to say that over the next several weeks, that work will accelerate.”
“There is widespread concern over the global economic outlook, and we must factor that risk into our long-term planning. All this together will mean noticeable change to this organization,” he added. “That, by definition, is unsettling. These changes will not be easy because they will affect people, budgets, and projects.”
After announcing the coming of CNN‘s December layoffs, Licht told employees that there are no plans “at this time,” for any additional future layoffs.
The Daily Mail, citing Puck, wrote that Licht was given the task by his own boss David Zaslkav of Warner Bros’ Discovery to hack $100 million off of the Cable News Network‘s budget. The parent company is already laying off 1,000 out of their 40,000 headcount going into the end of 2022.
Highlighting the network’s downfall, Breitbart’s John Nolte wrote,
“Awww, all the people who hate us, who want to take away our guns, replace us with illegal aliens, sexualize our kids into government-addicted neurotics, and encourage domestic terrorists to burn down our homes, are unhappy.”
He continued, “In a sane world, morale would have hit a 20-year low at CNN over CNN’s dreadful ratings and the fact that you can get a laugh anywhere in the country by saying, ‘I know it’s true. I heard it on CNN.'”
A CNN inside source told Fox News, “It wasn’t clear from that town hall who they’re going to fire. We’re waiting for answers on that.”
In response to reports that he is carrying out the layoffs at the behest of Zaslav, Licht responded “I own the vision for this place,” noting “I did not take this job to take dictation from anybody.”
During a CNN company-wide town hall meeting on Tuesday with a December of layoffs coming, CEO Chris Licht had to speak with his employees. One of those staffers at the meeting, after saying he had been with the network founded by Ted Turner for twenty years, attested that he had never seen morale lower than it is right now.
According to The Daily Mail, in spite of his June statement that “As it relates to CNN, there are no layoffs per se.” Licht was matter-of-factly unapologetic telling his employees that “We have also begun to reduce or eliminate areas that aren’t core to our mission. All these moves are designed to keep CNN essential across platforms to ensure that wherever and however people get their news, they must have CNN,” Licht wrote in a memo obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. “There is a lot more to be done. I am writing to you today to say that over the next several weeks, that work will accelerate.”
After announcing the coming of CNN‘s December layoffs, Licht told employees that there are no plans “at this time,” for any additional future layoffs.
The Daily Mail, citing Puck, wrote that Licht was given the task by his own boss David Zaslkav of Warner Bros’ Discovery to hack $100 million off of the Cable News Network‘s budget. The parent company is already laying off 1,000 out of their 40,000 headcount going into the end of 2022.
Highlighting the network’s downfall, Breitbart’s John Nolte wrote,
“Awww, all the people who hate us, who want to take away our guns, replace us with illegal aliens, sexualize our kids into government-addicted neurotics, and encourage domestic terrorists to burn down our homes, are unhappy.”
He continued, “In a sane world, morale would have hit a 20-year low at CNN over CNN’s dreadful ratings and the fact that you can get a laugh anywhere in the country by saying, ‘I know it’s true. I heard it on CNN.'”
A CNN inside source told Fox News, “It wasn’t clear from that town hall who they’re going to fire. We’re waiting for answers on that.”
In response to reports that he is carrying out the layoffs at the behest of Zaslav, Licht responded “I own the vision for this place,” noting “I did not take this job to take dictation from anybody.”