CNN permanently axes opinion section, informs some writers via terse email

News juggernaut CNN has decided to shut down the opinion vertical on its website permanently as part of an overall restructuring project undertaken by CEO Mark Thompson.

The news of the shutdown was actually revealed several weeks ago in a Substack article by journalist Claire Atkinson. On July 10, CNN opinion editors and contributors were told that they would be laid off effective August 9, Atkinson reported.

Moving forward, Thompson plans to turn his sights on 'more video and less text based content,' Atkinson said.

A senior executive also confirmed to The Hill that CNN will soon shutter its online opinion section. "We did make the decision at the beginning of the month to sunset the opinion vertical on CNN.com; as a result, we will no longer have a standalone Opinion section," the executive said.

News of the opinion shutdown trickled down to some writers just this week. The unidentified opinion editor apparently tasked with informing these writers about their impending job loss got right to the point.

"Just a quick note to let you know that unfortunately CNN has decided to shut down the opinion section. I hope our paths cross elsewhere!" the editor reportedly wrote in an email Wednesday.

That seems to have been the entire message as The Hill reported that the editor "did not elaborate further in their correspondence."

According to Atkinson, these layoffs at CNN are part of wider efforts by Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of CNN, to reduce its $43 billion debt load. Atkinson also indicated that the "disastrous term" of Chris Licht, the CEO of CNN from February 2022 until June 2023, forced Thompson to make tough decisions regarding staffing.

In all, 100 CNN staff members were let go as part of Thompson's "newsroom rethink and a push into AI," Atkinson wrote, though whether all 100 were connected with the opinion section is unclear. CNN currently employs approximately 3,500 people worldwide.

Moving forward, Thompson plans to turn his sights on "more video and less text based content," Atkinson said.

For now, the CNN opinion section remains active and currently offers readers commentary on subjects such as Project 2025, the power of influencers, and climate change.

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