CNN Cuts Back on Original Series and Films - The New York Times

Acquired and commissioned documentary movies and TV shows like ‘Navalny’ and ‘Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy’ are going away.

Chris Licht, the chairman of CNN, told employees Friday that the network would stop buying documentary films and original TV series as part of its cost-cutting efforts.

In an email to employees, Mr. Licht said that the network would be moving away from those movies and shows, which include “Navalny,” “RBG” and “The Burning of Black Wall Street,” and original TV series such as “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown.”

Instead, Amy Entelis, CNN’s executive vice president for talent and content development, will explore creating a studio focused on long-form content.

“This was a very difficult decision to make, and it was based, in large part, on the ever-increasing cost of commissioning third-party premium content,” Mr. Licht wrote.

Mr. Licht told employees earlier this week that CNN would cut its budget before the end of the year, resulting in “noticeable change” for the network. The worsening economy and pressure from CNN parent Warner Bros. Discovery has led to more severe cost-cutting than was initially expected from a monthlong business review.

Warner Bros. Discovery’s stock has taken a beating since the company began trading on the Nasdaq in April, part of a broader slump in the media sector.

The cuts will result in some layoffs at CNN, according to a person with knowledge of the decision, but employees required to air shows and movies already planned for 2023 will remain.

CNN has six original series and six films planned for next year, including “American Pain,” a documentary about opioid kingpins; and “See It Loud: The History of Black Television,” from LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s SpringHill Company.

CNN’s films and original series have won critical acclaim over the last decade, with films like “RBG” and shows including “United Shades of America” with comedian W. Kamau Bell winning Emmy Awards. CNN is currently airing “The Murdochs: Empire of Influence,” an original series based on reporting published in The New York Times Magazine.

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