NBC News cut 7% of its workforce ahead of the split that will separate NBC from sister network MSNBC, soon to be known only as “MSNOW.”
According to a report from The Wrap, the terminations hit the dedicated teams “covering issues affecting black, Asian American, Latino and LGBTQ+ groups” hardest. Some 150 employees were reportedly laid off.
As The Wrap reported, the verticals that feature coverage about those issues (NBC BLK, NBC Asian America, NBC Latino, and NBC OUT) will still exist — and new stories will still be pursued and reported on — but the coverage will be spread out across the newsroom rather than provided by teams dedicated to those specific beats.
The cuts represent about 7% of the 2,000 staffers at the NBC News newsroom, and about 2% of the broader company that also includes several local stations owned by NBC outright in addition to Telemundo. A report from Variety noted that the cuts could simply result in changing roles, as those who are being terminated will still have the option to apply for more than 100 different open positions across the news division.
The coming NBC split will also see its parent company, Comcast, spinning off other networks from the main news division — networks such as CNBC and USA Network will all fall under the same brand, Versant.
Other reports have also suggested that a similar fate — and a hefty round of layoffs — could be looming in the not-too-distant future for CBS News as well.
The Washington Free Beacon noted over the summer that whether or not CNN faces more layoffs in the near future, it’s likely that some of the highest-paid personalities on the network could face pay cuts in the future. Among those mentioned most frequently were Anderson Cooper ($18 million annually), Jake Tapper ($7.5 million annually), and several others. Gayle King, who earns $13-15 million annually at CBS, was also mentioned as one who could potentially see her pay reduced.
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