Cable news network CNN is permanently shutting down its entire opinion section as it undergoes a series of changes.
A source with direct knowledge of the change said some writers were formally notified via email on Wednesday afternoon.
“We regret to inform you that CNN has decided to close its opinion section,” the opinion editor wrote in an email. “We hope to see you again somewhere!”
The opinion editors did not elaborate further in their correspondence.
Reached for comment, a senior CNN executive told The Hill: “We made the decision earlier this month to eliminate our opinion section on CNN.com. As a result, we will no longer have an independent opinion section.”
Senior executives pointed to a post by Substack’s Claire Atkinson titled “The Media Mix,” which detailed the section’s closure in August.
The opinion section serves as a platform for expressing diverse opinions, and recently has featured a variety of articles on the 2024 presidential election, as well as hot topics like the Olympics and Gen Z social media influencer trends.
The homepage now features a column by progressive think tank director Veronica Goodman titled “Project 2025 is Coming to Our Kids,” which discusses Republican policy priorities ahead of President Donald Trump’s reelection.
CNN CEO Mark Thompson had previously previewed ways to rein in spending at the network as it seeks to regain its place in the TV and digital world after a tumultuous year that saw mass layoffs and declining ratings following the departure of Jeff Zucker.
