Reax: CNN Insiders Are Skeptical

CNN’s new boss Mark Thompson sought to ease anxiety with a Friday memo that named top executives to revamp the struggling network — just days after it was revealed he had slashed bonuses companywide, The NY Post reports.

Looking to shift CNN’s focus to digital as cord-cutting continues to hammer cable TV, Thompson outlined a five-part plan — “Building our digital future,” “A global integrated multimedia news operation,” “Future-proofing TV production,” “Developing new sources of revenue” and “Communication and culture.”

One insider shrugged off Friday’s memo as yet another mealy-mouthed word salad from the British-born Thompson, a former honcho at the New York Times and the BBC.

“It’s a five-point plan to make five-point plans,” said the media executive. “In other words, there is no plan, but we are really planning to make lots of plans. And rest assured, there are lots of people overseeing the planning to make plans. And Mark is overseeing all of the people planning to make plans. So don’t worry. We’ve got this totally under control!”

“He is rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic,” added another insider.

Another CNN insider saw the memo in a more positive light.

“There has been frustration that we hadn’t heard from him but I appreciated the memo. It couldn’t have come at a better time,” the insider said. “It’s well thought out. I think he answered the questions on how and what to do. He laid out some pretty clear steps. It’s a good first step.”

The source added that CNN is such a “massive organization” that it “takes time” to really “wrap your head around it.”

Thompson said the network will “build” its “digital future” under newly hired digital boss Alex MacCallum, who will develop a “new multimedia strategy across all platforms other than linear TV” using data science, machine-learning and AI to create new revenue streams. 

Thompson also said he will continue to “streamline production,” pointing to his move to cancel “CNN This Morning” hosted by Poppy Harlow and Phil Mattingly, telling the show’s 50-person staff to reapply for new jobs.