[inletwindow]

It’s an upsetting read for anyone working at CNN at a time when everyone will be working their guts off to produce another two weeks of election coverage.

Not even two weeks. Election day is in two days (Tuesday). I guess the big question is: how soon after the midterms do announcements about job cuts come? There are upcoming town halls (as already reported in various outlets). I'm sure any news from those will be leaked instantly, as it always is.

[gman]

No anchor travels unless breaking news? What would that mean for Richard Quest?? He flies more than I do and I work for an airline!

I’m sure Business Traveller will be safe, it generates a lot of ad income. 

I was wondering what that meant too: it’s not as if any of the main show anchors are flying around the country or world outside of major stories.

There's also World of Wonder and the shows about climate change (can't remember the name!). Also, when there is a big news story from the UK, Quest normally travels to London to cover it. Plus, he ain't flying economy, I can assure you! 
Becky Anderson would be in a similar position... Will she still broadcast CTW from London occasionally? 

I fear HK will be hit and Dubai may be eliminated altogether. 

More cuts from International and people will just start switching off altogether.

[EastCoast]

I haven’t read the Puck article in it’s entirely because of the paywall, but I don’t think this is going to be that bad for CNNI. CNN This Morning’s tagline is “Bringing the World Home” and uses city names outside of the US in the graphics package. Not sure what CNNI shows are left to cut, but the lead reporters in international bureaus seem like they’re in a safe position.

Also don’t think it’s a bad thing if CNN scales down its operation behind the scenes. MSNBC manages to broadcast almost all of their New York output from one studio, while CNN has 5 in Hudson Yards alone. Meanwhile CNNI jumps around the globe every hour instead of having sensible blocks from the same location. You could shutter HLN and move a shortened Morning Express to the CNN App, Discovery+, or TNT/TBS. Unfortunate that this means less in studio guests, but we got used to that during COVID.

The Warner Bros. Discovery spin-off has been brutal for almost all aspects of the company. If AT&T still owned WarnerMedia I’m sure we’d be talking about the same cuts in 2023 and 2024 as they realized CNN+ was not the future and moved to scale back company-wide. If CNN Center goes away remember that AT&T set those wheels in motion, not WBD.

Maybe I’m more optimistic than I should be…

[inletwindow]

I haven’t read the Puck article in it’s entirely because of the paywall, but I don’t think this is going to be that bad for CNNI.
====
If CNN Center goes away remember that AT&T set those wheels in motion, not WBD.

Let's hope it won't be that bad! The Puck article (part behind the paywall and shared here) said it would be. But who knows who Dylan Byers' sources are, or if they're accurate. They could certainly cut what's left of CNNI and replace it with a simulcast if they wanted to.

As for CNN Center -- that is for sure going away. CNN in Atlanta is moving to the Techwood Campus (where CNN was launched in 1980 and spent its first handful of years).

[matthieu1221]

I haven’t read the Puck article in it’s entirely because of the paywall, but I don’t think this is going to be that bad for CNNI. CNN This Morning’s tagline is “Bringing the World Home” and uses city names outside of the US in the graphics package. Not sure what CNNI shows are left to cut, but the lead reporters in international bureaus seem like they’re in a safe position.

Also don’t think it’s a bad thing if CNN scales down its operation behind the scenes. MSNBC manages to broadcast almost all of their New York output from one studio, while CNN has 5 in Hudson Yards alone. Meanwhile CNNI jumps around the globe every hour instead of having sensible blocks from the same location. You could shutter HLN and move a shortened Morning Express to the CNN App, Discovery+, or TNT/TBS. Unfortunate that this means less in studio guests, but we got used to that during COVID.

The Warner Bros. Discovery spin-off has been brutal for almost all aspects of the company. If AT&T still owned WarnerMedia I’m sure we’d be talking about the same cuts in 2023 and 2024 as they realized CNN+ was not the future and moved to scale back company-wide. If CNN Center goes away remember that AT&T set those wheels in motion, not WBD.

Maybe I’m more optimistic than I should be…

From the Puck article:

Well-placed sources said the cuts are also likely to take a significant toll on CNN International, including the elimination of certain shows that may be replaced by a simulcast of CNN’s domestic feed. It is possible that HLN, CNN’s sister channel, will be hit hard, perhaps even eliminated entirely.

On CNNi I'd say CTW is the most likely to go. Maybe move Becky Anderson back to London permanently. Abu Dhabi can become a normal bureau without any permanent shows like HK has become. Maybe merge it with One World and brand it as a 2-hour Newsroom slot.

[Newsroom]

Another great article here for those of us interested in CNN. Yup, it's behind a paywall so front up £1 for a trial if you want to read it all.

www.businessinsider.com 

CNN CEO Chris Licht Faces Angry Newsroom As More Layoffs and Cuts Loom
Six months into his new role at CNN, executives there are questioning CEO Chris …
  Source: www.businessinsider.com

Takeaways.

Consensus at CNN and by observers is that Licht is an ineffective communicator and a man with NO plan.

Senior management and talent are finding out about 'wholesale changes' via Press Releases.

Horrible programming changes that staff/teams have zero confidence in.

Deep concern that almost a year after Chris Cuomo departed the network there is still no replacement for that 9pm slot. Licht is said to be looking for a Larry King type figure having gambled on Tapper and failed.

TV News vets are bemused Anderson Cooper is being overlooked, but insiders say that's not the case.

[Omnipresent]

On way CNN US can save money is to cut the number of talking head pundits they use on shows.

I remember watching one show before the 2016 election and there were 8 pundits sat around a table and hardly anyone could get a word in.

[matthieu1221]

On way CNN US can save money is to cut the number of talking head pundits they use on shows.

I remember watching one show before the 2016 election and there were 8 pundits sat around a table and hardly anyone could get a word in.

One could argue that quality reporting costs more. Just pay some lower-costing pundits and tada you can easily fill airtime with controversial and clickbaity personalities. It's been pretty successfully done in France with CNEWS. Would make for a terrible channel to watch though.

There seems to be an inherent paradox though.
Ratings are said to have taken a backseat and quality reporting prioritized over talking heads yet now cuts need to be made to the news service, because advertisers aren't going to be attracted by quality reporting, only ratings.

[excel99]

Also, when there is a big news story from the UK, Quest normally travels to London to cover it. Plus, he ain't flying economy, I can assure you! 
Becky Anderson would be in a similar position... Will she still broadcast CTW from London occasionally? 

Speculation on my part, but I do wonder if some of those London trips are primarily to see friends and family in the UK, and rather than take time off, they work out of CNN London instead? In which case would CNN be paying for the travel?

[Newsroom]

Also, when there is a big news story from the UK, Quest normally travels to London to cover it. Plus, he ain't flying economy, I can assure you! 
Becky Anderson would be in a similar position... Will she still broadcast CTW from London occasionally? 

Speculation on my part, but I do wonder if some of those London trips are primarily to see friends and family in the UK, and rather than take time off, they work out of CNN London instead? In which case would CNN be paying for the travel?

I don’t think it’s appropriate to be singling out anyone at CNN and speculating on their travel habits or why they might be travelling  for that matter.