CNN CEO Chris Licht announces mass layoffs as a result of budget cuts

This week, CNN’s new CEO, Chris Licht, made an announcement that further layoffs are on the cards as Licht is looking to cut up-to $100 million from the network’s budget, according to a report by RadarOnline.

During a Wednesday town hall, Licht told Alisyn Camerota, the town hall’s moderator, that those who are not part of CNN’s “core mission” are likely to be let go. He added that the next round of layoffs could happen as soon as December.

When questioned over whether the layoffs are a result of the influence David Zaslav, who serves as CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, the network’s parent company, has over CNN, Litch replied: “I own the vision for this place. I did not take this job to take dictation from anybody.”

Licht’s announcement on Wednesday on the back of him issuing a memo cautioning staff of upcoming “changes” being made to the network’s “people, budgets, and projects.”

“There are huge nerves about that,” one CNN insider said regarding Licht’s Wednesday announcement, according to the New York Post. “It wasn’t clear from that town hall who they’re going to fire. We’re waiting for answers on that.”

Licht’s announcement on Wednesday, as well as his memo in October, contradicted an announcement he made in June in which he said “no layoffs” were taking place at CNN.

“As it relates to CNN, there are no layoffs per se,” he said during a staff-wide event at the time. “A layoff is a downsizing, where you are given a target, and that is not happening at CNN.”