As Julio reported earlier this week, CNN’s novel boss, Chris Licht, is intensifying cost-cutting efforts at the network, which has struggled to find viewership and profitability, including laying off TV talent. Indeed, Variety compiled the names of those laid off in the first round of layoffs on Thursday, including some notable, if not infamous, names.
As Variety reported in their breakup history for development:
According to these people, CNN executives were to inform employees about the network’s layoffs on Thursday morning. CNN correspondents Alison Kosik, Martin Savidge, Alex Field, Mary Ann Fox and Chris Cilizza are among the employees who have been fired, according to two people familiar with the matter. A CNN spokesman declined to comment on the matter.
Kosik was a correspondent for CNN based in New York, Martin Savidge worked as an anchor and correspondent from the network’s headquarters in Atlanta, Alexandra Field was a breaking news correspondent for both CNN and CNN International, and Mary Ann Fox was vice president of CNN’s Northeast News . But by far the most notable name is political reporter and editor-in-chief Chris Cillizza.
While senior CNN officials say the layoffs are “part of a recalibrated reporting strategy,” Cillizza’s cut in particular may have been because the compensation he was paid was not worth the quality of the analysis and reporting he produced.
Here are some examples of Cillizza, in no particular order spthe most compelling shots – at least the ones he hasn’t taken yet deleted after they were ratio forgotten or has aged particularly poorly – such material will apparently no longer be found on CNN’s on-air, website, podcasts or email newsletters.
For example, his midterm prediction that people would blame J.D. Vance, who won the U.S. Senate race in Ohio, for Republicans not regaining control of the upper house.
If Republicans don’t regain control of the Senate, expect all the blame to fall on JD Vance in Ohio.
McConnell’s super PAC had to spend more than $30 million to win a state that Trump won by 8 in 2016 and 2020.
— Chris Cillizza (@ChrisCillizza) November 11, 2022
Or his analysis that pushed the theory that “Anonymous” was Vice President Mike Pence or First Lady Melania Trump, rather than who he actually was: former DHS official Miles Taylor.
In this article (knowing that the New York Times will never allow anyone to anonymously attack a president), @CillizzaCNN speculates that it could be Mike Pence, Kellyanne Conway, or maybe even Melania Trump.https://t.co/7TPGDCQcnd
— Eddie Zipperer (@EddieZipperer) October 28, 2020
We will never forget how he characterized Biden’s failures as mere bad luck that the president fell victim to uncontrollable circumstances, rather than a direct result of his failed policies:
Another story about all the bad things happening to Biden and not because of him. And of course guess who. pic.twitter.com/imEU5BqGIw
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) July 8, 2022
We will also not forget his wishful “analysis” according to which Hillary Clinton is having a “moment” and will be the savior of the Democrats in 2024.
“Now Her Moment Has Come”https://t.co/Qr2hLuYRCb
— Chris Cillizza (@ChrisCillizza) June 28, 2022
Cillizza has been in his current role at CNN since April 2017, and it is unclear where he will take his next position. Perhaps he’ll end up in one of his previous roles: MSNBC political analyst, Washington Post writer, or RollCall blogger?
This is a developing story and may be updated.
