CNN’s sister news station HLN will stop producing live programming starting next week as part of the cable network’s plan to cut costs.
Longtime HLN anchor
Robin Meade
will be leaving amid the shake-up.
“I want to take a moment to thank Robin Meade,”
Chris Licht,
chief executive at CNN, wrote in a memo to staff Thursday that was viewed by The Wall Street Journal. “She is not only an exceptionally popular anchor, but also one of the longest-running morning hosts in history. I know the HLN audience will miss her and the other HLN talent.”
Mr. Licht warned staff on Wednesday that layoffs were coming. The memo on Thursday didn’t say how many people were laid off. A CNN spokeswoman declined to comment beyond the memo.
The changes were the latest signs of a shaky start to the April merger of Discovery Inc. and
‘s WarnerMedia. Warner Bros. Discovery Inc., which also owns HBO, TBS and the Food Network, cut its outlook for 2022 and 2023, in part because of a slowdown in advertising. The company had already laid off about 1,000 employees since April.
Since CNN ownership shifted from AT&T to Warner Bros. Discovery, Mr. Licht has been overhauling the cable channel’s lineup. In the spring, he announced that the new streaming service CNN+ would be shut down, about a month after it launched. In August, the network canceled “Reliable Sources,” its Sunday morning show.
Starting Dec. 6, HLN will replace “Morning Express with Robin Meade” with “CNN This Morning,” the recently revamped morning show co-hosted by
Don Lemon,
Poppy Harlow
and
Kaitlan Collins.
Ms. Meade has been with the network for 21 years. A representative for the anchor didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
HLN launched in 1982 as a sister news service to CNN. Previously known as Headline News, it changed its name to HLN more than a decade ago.
Mr. Licht’s memo said job cuts were made across CNN, including in programming, marketing and newsgathering. CNN also laid off some of its on-air contributors.
“The changes we are making today are necessary and will make us stronger and better positioned to place big bets going forward without fear of failure,” Mr. Licht said in the memo.
Write to Joseph Pisani at joseph.pisani@wsj.com
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