CNN outlined incoming layoffs Wednesday and a push into digital subscriptions and artificial intelligence.
CEO Mark Thompson announced the changes to CNN staff in a memo that spelled out his plans to drastically change the news corporation by year’s end. He said CNN would cut around 100 jobs but didn’t specify the affected departments.
Mr. Thompson said CNN’s subscription service would start by the end of 2024, blending on-air content with text-based news stories to create a new experience for readers.
“In the future, our digital products need to do a far better job of reflecting CNN’s massive strength in video and anchoring/reporting talent,” Mr. Thompson wrote in the memo. “Video will be at the heart of our future, and a reimagined video experience on every platform — from pure digital to streaming, FAST channels and more — is essential for CNN’s future.”
He added that CNN would include more lifestyle content to boost advertising and subscription revenue.
Meanwhile, CNN will integrate artificial intelligence into its coverage, though Mr. Thompson was scant on details.
“This effort will include a strategic push into AI to determine how best to safely harness this emerging new technology to serve our audiences and deliver our journalistic goals more effectively and responsively,” the memo reads.
Wednesday’s layoffs and restructuring are the latest in a string of cuts and closures in the media industry this year. Legacy outlets like the Los Angeles Times cut their staff significantly, and startup publications like The Messenger and Vice Media effectively shut down.
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