CNN To Layoff Employees
It looks like CNN is feeling the heat of a changing media landscape and a second Trump presidency, and the fallout is shaping up to be seismic. The network, once a giant in the cable news industry, is now grappling with layoffs, anchor shake-ups, and a desperate scramble to adapt to a digital-first era as viewers abandon traditional news outlets in droves.
But let’s be real: the writing has been on the wall for CNN for a while now. With ratings tanking and credibility at an all-time low, this latest round of belt-tightening feels more like a survival move than a strategic pivot.
Here’s the scoop. CNN is reportedly cutting 210 employees, about six percent of its workforce, as part of a broader effort to “focus on digital content.” Translation? They’re trying to cut costs and stay relevant in a world where most people would rather scroll their phones than tune into cable news. But the layoffs are just the tip of the iceberg. Alongside the cuts, there are whispers of anchor reshuffles that could send shockwaves through the network—and not everyone’s happy about it.
Take Jim Acosta, for example. Acosta rose to fame (or infamy, depending on your perspective) during Trump’s first term as a White House correspondent who often clashed with the administration. But now? He’s reportedly being handed a one-way ticket to what some are calling “the Siberia of television news.”
Under a plan reportedly pitched by CNN CEO Mark Thompson, Acosta would be moved from his current 10 a.m. weekday slot to a midnight time slot—a move so baffling it has insiders scratching their heads. One anonymous CNN staffer summed it up: “Acosta is a talented broadcaster who could handle any slot on the network. The midnight thing is shocking [but] it is what it is.”
“Talented broadcaster”? Sure, if shouting questions at Trump and grandstanding in the White House press room counts as talent. But let’s call this what it is: a demotion. And if Acosta has any sense, he won’t wait around to get buried in the midnight graveyard. Rumor has it he’s already considering an exit, and honestly, who could blame him? His shtick worked when CNN was obsessed with Trump, but now? Even the network seems ready to move on.
Acosta isn’t the only one feeling the squeeze. Wolf Blitzer, the veteran anchor whose show The Situation Room has been a CNN staple for years, is also seeing his schedule flipped upside down. His program is reportedly moving from early evenings to Acosta’s current 10 a.m. slot, where he’ll co-anchor with Pamela Brown. That’s a major shift for Blitzer, who’s practically been the face of CNN for decades. Whether this is a strategic move or a sign of desperation remains to be seen, but either way, it’s clear that no one is safe.
And let’s not forget the broader context here. CNN’s struggles aren’t unique. NBC is also trimming staff, albeit on a smaller scale, as part of the same shift toward digital content. The reality is that cable news as a whole is circling the drain. Audiences are tired of the partisan spin, the talking heads, and the endless Trump-bashing that networks like CNN built their brands on. Trump may be back in the White House, but the old playbook of breathless outrage isn’t working anymore. People have moved on, and the ratings prove it.
CNN’s attempt to reinvent itself might include layoffs, schedule shake-ups, and a focus on digital, but the network’s problems go deeper than staffing or programming. This is a network that has lost the trust of its viewers by doubling down on partisan narratives while ignoring what Americans actually care about. Until CNN addresses its credibility crisis, all the reshuffling in the world won’t save it.