[inletwindow]

Crikey, that makes for another uncomfortable read. One wonders just how long Licht will be in that role. He appears to have made zero impact on the network since he got there. Will be looking for leaks for sure once this Town Hall happens.

I guess nothing particularly newsworthy about CNN was said at Zaslav's WBD-wide town hall --- just see some articles about his talking about DC.

But I would expect CNN cuts to be the central focus of Chris Licht's solo town hall on Tuesday. And employees will get to sound off via questions.

[TMD_24]

Some new reporting from Dylan Byers regarding CNN and the changes that are going into effect.

puck.news 

Licht’s Debate Prep - Puck
A tune up for a companywide town hall suggests what’s on the mind of the newish …
  Source: puck.news

- CNN Original Series and Films are going to be going as previously reported
- That studio they are currently in that shows the newsroom on a screen looks like their new permanent studio for Early Start and some Newsroom shows
- Reduction of studio space and floors
- Layoffs and job cuts will begin in December

[Newsroom]

Some new reporting from Dylan Byers regarding CNN and the changes that are going into effect.

puck.news 

- CNN Original Series and Films are going to be going as previously reported
- That studio they are currently in that shows the newsroom on a screen looks like their new permanent studio for Early Start and some Newsroom shows
- Reduction of studio space and floors
- Layoffs and job cuts will begin in December

Not a fan of them cutting the newsroom studio, it’s been a staple part of CNN since it’s inception. How is money being saved when you’ve still got cameras set up there for the various live shots (and there are plenty). If they want to cut their footprint at Hudson Yards, then cut other studios that are barely used not the centrepiece of any news operation.

I’d love to be a fly on the wall at this Town Hall. 

If Camerota is mediating we can assume her position is safe. Pretty awful that so many more jobs are going before Christmas.

Great they’ve realised bumping Blitzer in place of Tapper was a huge mistake.

[EastCoast]

Dylan Byers makes a few good points. I agree that it feels like deja vu reading how CNN will have to do more with less and it feels like Zucker had a stronger vision a decade ago. Also agree that Tapper’s absence these past few days felt peculiar. Not too thrilled about being wrong, a few days ago I was confident this wouldn’t be that bad. Indications now seem to show that it will be.

Surprised to hear that they’re cutting the newsroom studio, but not disappointed to see it go. Most of the daytime is still produced out of Atlanta (unless that’s changed recently), so we aren’t necessarily losing the heart of the newsroom. More alarming to hear that the whole floor is probably going away and whatever functions it served consolidated or disappearing altogether.

Hoping that John Berman is saved in all of this. He’d be good at 10pm and could be the part news part Larry King type that Chris Licht was hoping for in Tapper. Would be a huge loss if he was cut.

I wonder how long it’ll be before we hear news about prime time. At this point just shuffle Erin Burnett to 9pm and give Wolf back a second hour since the viewers apparently want to see him on air.

[Newsroom]

Surprised to hear that they’re cutting the newsroom studio, but not disappointed to see it go. Most of the daytime is still produced out of Atlanta (unless that’s changed recently), so we aren’t necessarily losing the heart of the newsroom. More alarming to hear that the whole floor is probably going away and whatever functions it served consolidated or disappearing altogether.

For clarity, 'Heart of the newsroom' is a term used by many journalists, including Byers in this article (I should have quoted) and several others when referring to a studio based in the newsroom. 

if you consider CNN went to air live from a working newsroom and has always featured a working newsroom since its inception, it really is a great loss IMO. From Sky to ITN, the BBC and way too many to mention, the 'working elements of a newsroom' adds something to a news broadcast and it'll be missed from CNN's domestic output I'm sure.

As the space in question is a working newsroom, with anchor and management offices off to the left and right of what we see on screen, one wonders why they are cutting this studio (if Byers is correct) at all.

[EastCoast]

For clarity, 'Heart of the newsroom' is a term used by many journalists... and several others when referring to a studio based in the newsroom. 

Gotcha, thanks for the clarification. If the office space that the newsroom studio occupies is really being given up it doesn't make sense to continue using a live feed of the old set behind the anchors instead of opting for a shot of the Atlanta newsroom, to keep the newsroom feel, or something different altogether. To your point, it also makes no sense to shutter the smallest studio they have to save money while spending money on a permanent set for "CNN This Morning" especially if people are still working alongside it.

[Newsroom]

For clarity, 'Heart of the newsroom' is a term used by many journalists... and several others when referring to a studio based in the newsroom. 

Gotcha, thanks for the clarification. If the office space that the newsroom studio occupies is really being given up it doesn't make sense to continue using a live feed of the old set behind the anchors instead of opting for a shot of the Atlanta newsroom, to keep the newsroom feel, or something different altogether. To your point, it also makes no sense to shutter the smallest studio they have to save money while spending money on a permanent set for "CNN This Morning" especially if people are still working alongside it.

I'm on the fence as to whether Dylan Byers is correct on his interpretation of what's happening in that space. 

Looking at this image courtesy of @Oliverdarcy - the only floor space they'd be freeing up would be to that of the newsroom floor, thus extending the size of the newsroom itself.

https://twitter.com/oliverdarcy/status/1125460554989043713?s=20&t=D3Th9i2uJYuET4DsakYg_g

[EastCoast]

I only signed up for one free article, so I can’t reread it, but I thought it was worded as if CNN would forfeit the 17th floor of Hudson Yards, reducing their footprint in the building. How did you interpret it?

[Newsroom]

I only signed up for one free article, so I can’t reread it, but I thought it was worded as if CNN would forfeit the 17th floor of Hudson Yards, reducing their footprint in the building. How did you interpret it?

Here’s the quote from Dylan Byers at The Puck

“It will also result in a shrinking footprint at Hudson Yards, where CNN plans to eliminate certain floors and consolidate studio space. The daytime studio, the historic heart of the newsroom, has already been moved off the newsroom floor. (What you see behind the desk is now a liveshot of the newsroom).”

Nothing to lead us to believe it’s the 17th floor they’ll vacate. That would ultimately mean upheaving its workforce to another floor. Again, we don’t know where or how Byers gets his info so it’s all purely speculative. 

Tapper is back this evening if daytime promo suggests with an exclusive at 9pm. Wasn’t paying too much attention so not sure what the exclusive is. 

[EastCoast]

I see what you're saying now. Eliminating this studio could allow them to add more workstations to relocate people from a different floor they're vacating.