NEW: CNN Expected To Fire Star Personalities Amid Ratings Drop-Off

One of the most recognizable names in American news media is reportedly planning to part ways with several of its high-profile personalities.

Amid a significant ratings decline, CNN has been put in a precarious financial and operational position. According to sources close to the network, these upcoming changes reflect a larger strategy to redefine CNN’s programming approach and restore its competitive edge in an increasingly fractured media landscape.

As the dust settles post-election, CNN’s CEO Mark Thompson is set to roll out a sweeping transformation plan for the network—one that includes substantial layoffs, potentially affecting hundreds of staff. Many of CNN’s journalists, who were taken aback by Trump’s decisive victory, now face a harsh reality: their own positions may not be secure in Thompson’s ambitious reshaping of the organization.

“CNN will implement another round of layoffs that will impact hundreds of employees across the organization, including those whose TV production talents won’t necessarily be needed in the new digital-first landscape,” Puck News reported. “Reporters and correspondents will be asked to assume more of the responsibilities once handled by teams of producers and production assistants, 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. At the same time, CNN plans to create new positions across the organization that will service Thompson’s new digital-first business. One source posited that the transformation might even result in a net gain of employees. We’ll see. A network spokesperson declined to comment. Meanwhile, insiders describe an atmosphere of high stress and high anxiety.”

New York, NY – December 8, 2019: Anderson Cooper attends the 13th Annual CNN Heroes at the American Museum of Natural History

The latest stirrings reveal that high-profile CNN stars, including Anderson Cooper, still collect hefty paychecks—Cooper at $20 million annually—even as ratings continue to dip. Erin Burnett and Kaitlan Collins are reported to earn $3 million and $6 million each. Meanwhile, longtime anchors Jake Tapper and Wolf Blitzer reportedly had requests for raises declined, despite their substantial salaries of $3 million and $7 million. On Monday, veteran journalist Chris Wallace announced he would depart CNN after years with the network and a reported salary of $8.5 million.

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Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow attend the 16th annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute at the American Museum of Natural History on December 11, 2022 in New York

CNN has fallen far from its once-dominant position on election nights. Known for years as the go-to network for live election coverage, CNN led the pack back in 2016, drawing a massive 13.3 million viewers in primetime. But under Warner Bros. Discovery and former CEO Chris Licht, the network’s traditional TV audience has plummeted, with nightly averages barely reaching half a million viewers. This year’s election night figures underscored the trend: CNN brought in just 5.1 million viewers in primetime, trailing behind MSNBC for the first time ever and ranking above only CBS among major networks.

Under CEO Mark Thompson’s leadership, CNN has shifted its focus from traditional cable to digital and streaming platforms, aiming to grow in these areas while carefully managing cable’s decline. After Fox News celebrated its ratings lead, CNN reinforced its digital reach, highlighting millions of online interactions as a sign of its strategic shift, though some viewed this as a deflection from its declining TV audience.

A seasoned cable news insider gracefully compared it to “trying to put 10 pounds of shit in a 5-pound bag,” but remarked to Puck News that it “doesn’t camouflage the fact that their linear number was an embarrassment, and that Licht and now Thompson have not been able to get the brand back to where it was under Zucker.”

CNN’s restructuring follows a recent trend of media disruption, leading networks to transition from traditional formats to digital focus. Thompson’s approach aims to future-proof CNN, even if it requires tough cuts and redefining its content model.

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