News giant CNN has decided to permanently shut down the opinion section of its website as part of a sweeping restructuring project under CEO Mark Thompson.
News of the closure actually broke a few weeks ago. Substack Article Article by journalist Claire Atkinson. On July 10, Atkinson reported that CNN opinion editors and contributors had been told they would be fired, effective August 9.
Going forward, Thompson will look to “less text-based content and more video,” Atkinson said.
Senior executives also acknowledged this. The Hill CNN will soon be shutting down its online opinion section: “We made the decision earlier this month to eliminate the opinion section on CNN.com, which means that we will no longer have an independent opinion section,” an executive said.
News of the opinion paper’s closure broke to some reporters this week, and an unidentified opinion editor who appears to be tasked with informing them of their impending job losses made a pointed statement:
“We regret to inform you that CNN has decided to close our opinion section. We hope to see you there, somewhere!” the editor reportedly wrote in an email on Wednesday.
That appears to have been the entire message, as The Hill reported that the editor “did not elaborate further in the correspondence.”
Atkinson said CNN’s cuts are part of a broader effort by CNN parent Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. to reduce its $43 billion in debt. Atkinson also suggested that the “disastrous tenure” of CNN CEO Chris Licht, who will serve from February 2022 to June 2023, was forcing Thompson to make tough staffing decisions.
100 CNN staffers were laid off as part of Thompson’s “rethinking the newsroom and pushing toward AI.” Atkinson It is unclear whether all 100 were involved in the opinion section. CNN currently employs about 3,500 people worldwide.
Going forward, Thompson will look to “less text-based content and more video,” Atkinson said.
At this point, CNN Opinion Column It continues to operate today, providing commentary to its readers on topics such as Project 2025, the power of influencers, and climate change.
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