CNN CEO Chris Licht was reportedly compelled to rent further safety to attend outdoors a convention room the place he labored after gutting tons of of community staff in a current spherical of layoffs .
The cuts got here on Thursday and included large names who discovered themselves on the chopping block, together with on-air expertise and contributors like Preet Bharara, Dan Merica, Alison Kosik and Chris Cillizza.
Licht, 51, introduced in further safety guards to not solely be stationed outdoors the manager convention room the place he positioned himself, but in addition to comply with him all through the day, Puck reported. .
The community boss apparently hoped to keep away from backlash or confrontation from any unruly workers who fell sufferer to the cost-cutting measures.
CNN CEO Chris Licht was reportedly ‘compelled to rent further safety’ to attend outdoors a convention room the place he labored Thursday after gutting 10% of community workers
Preet Bharara and Alison Kosik had been a part of the newest spherical of cuts at CNN
Alex Discipline and Martin Savidge additionally misplaced their jobs because of layoffs to chop community prices
Paul Begala and Chris Cillizza, political pundits, had been each fired on Thursday
“Some CNN sources who handed by Licht on Thursday seen a number of safety guards standing outdoors the convention room, and no less than one strolling round with Licht as he moved throughout the ground,” reported the Puck media.
Licht had sat within the govt boardroom all through the day with the doorways open to reply questions from remaining staff in regards to the sequence of cuts.
Puck reported that “the heightened presence of safety on a day of layoffs urged that Licht was conscious of the character of uncooked feelings”.
Whereas many of the cuts had been off-camera staff, contributors, producers and reporters like Martin Salvidge, Mary Ann Fox and Alex Discipline had been additionally laid off and are actually compelled to hunt employment elsewhere.
One other main casualty of Licht’s cuts was CNN spin-off HLN and its complete workers.
Longtime HLN anchor Robin Meade, whom Licht described as “an exceptionally widespread anchor”, additionally fell sufferer to the cost-cutting measures, regardless of his reputation.
The cable information large additionally eliminated all reside programming from HLN, together with longtime host Robin Meade, 53.
Licht remained within the administration convention room all through the day to permit any staff who wished to talk to him to take action, even with safety guards apparently stationed outdoors.
Most staff reportedly didn’t settle for Licht on his “open invitation” to debate the cuts, the outlet reported.
“What had been we supposed to speak about? stated a workers member who survived the layoffs.
One of many largest cuts made on Thursday included CNN’s New York bureau, which is taken into account ‘first on the stage’ for main occasions just like the ‘the September 11 terrorist assaults, the Boston Marathon bombing or the Sandy Hook faculty taking pictures.
Lots of the remaining staffers had been “too busy consoling themselves or being consoled” from the cuts to go to CNN’s CEO.
The choice to maintain the convention doorways open all day, even with guards standing outdoors, nonetheless, additionally obtained reward from others on the bottom.
“That is actual management,” stated a media official who remained nameless whereas talking with Puck. “It’s not simple.”
In a memo despatched to staff Thursday, Licht referred to as the modifications “needed” and stated they’d make the community stronger for the long run.
“Our aim all through the strategic overview course of has been to higher align our individuals, processes and assets with our future priorities, strengthen our capability to satisfy CNN’s core journalistic mission, and allow us to innovate in years to come back,” Licht wrote.
The information of the layoffs was introduced on this e-mail despatched by Licht on Wednesday, only a day earlier than the mass layoffs
“The modifications we’re making at the moment are needed and can make us stronger and higher positioned to put large bets sooner or later with out concern of failure,” he continued.
The CEO, who took over from Jeff Zucker who resigned in February after admitting a ‘relationship’ he had with a community govt, has come underneath heavy criticism prior to now for actions together with telling staff he there can be no layoffs.
In June, Licht informed staff, “So far as CNN is anxious, there aren’t any layoffs per se. A layoff is a downsizing, the place you are given a aim, and that does not occur at CNN.
He then backtracked in October, saying some “modifications” affected ‘individuals, budgets and tasks’ was underway.
Throughout his tenure, Licht additionally oversaw the shutdown of CNN+ and the firing of firm veterans like Brian Stelter, Jeffrey Toobin and John Harwood.
Former CEO Jeff Zucker resigned in February after admitting a ‘relationship’ he had with a community govt
The top of the community has additionally been criticized for his laissez-faire angle with the corporate’s staff.
Licht’s workplace is situated 5 flooring above the CNN newsroom the place his staff function.
Moreover, the CEO would have little or no day-to-day contact with most staff, in contrast to his predecessor.
After Licht took over, he performed a months-long overview and discerned what wanted to be modified to show issues round.
“All selections are designed to strengthen the core of our enterprise,” Licht stated of the cuts.
In his Thursday memo, he doubled down on his workers cuts within the identify of his dedication to the community’s success.
“On the highest degree, the aim is to direct our assets to higher serve and develop audiences for our core packages and information merchandise,” Licht wrote.
“To attain these objectives, we are going to scale back vacancies, reinvent our workflows, and align our individuals, investments and focus round three key strategic priorities: programming, newsgathering and digital,” a- he added.
“All selections are designed to strengthen the core of our enterprise.”
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