Ever since former President Trump left office, CNN truly hit some hard times. For years, the network relied upon trashing Trump at every turn, drawing views from those who hated him.
Though once Trump was no longer in the White House, CNN’s viewership suffered major nosedives. It also did not help the company for various now-former staffers — like Chris Cuomo and John Griffin — to be caught in scandals that led to their firings.
With CNN nearly dead in the water, Chris Licht came in as the network’s new CEO. Licht made it clear that he intends to change how CNN operates, rebrand its image, and restore its reputation with the public.
Part of Licht’s work to make this happen involves cleaning the house and letting go of some employees. Now, the CEO is confirming that more workers will be handed pink slips pretty soon.
Game Over?
More layoffs are coming soon, as Licht deems certain workers at CNN to be “non-essential.” Previously, the CEO shut down claims of additional layoffs. Though this seems to have changed, due to the climate at CNN and ongoing efforts to revitalize the network.
New layoffs are projected to occur around the Christmas holiday. Licht revealed as much during a town hall for the company. Specifically, the CEO said individuals who are most aligned with CNN’s “core mission” are less likely to find themselves out of a job.
BREAKING: New CNN CEO Chris Licht confirms the network will see layoffs as early as December at all-hands company town hall
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) November 16, 2022
These layoffs to come follow a pattern of other large companies in the tech industry letting go of workers. Layoffs in the tech industry, however, have been cited as the effects of inflation and employers trying to spare their bottom lines.
What Goes Around Comes Around?
In 2020, many Americans lost their jobs because of government-imposed mandates and lockdowns. When people took to the streets to protest, CNN staffers and other networks wrote them off as selfish and dangerous.
There was not much sympathy shown to small business owners or others who were watching everything they worked for disappear. Therefore, “non-essential” CNN workers who find themselves getting the boot could very well face unsympathetic reactions from the public.
Chris Licht is making big changes at CNN, including huge layoffs and a new, more centrist approach to journalism. @karaswisher asks him about these controversial moves and the future of CNN's newsroom on this episode of #OnWithKaraSwisher https://t.co/gBI2UX6ziI pic.twitter.com/YPL6CHvzl8
— Intelligencer (@intelligencer) November 17, 2022
Before the new year, the CNN of today may be little more than a distant memory. Though whether or not the network is able to regain the general public’s trust remains to be seen.
