The rumor mill has been churning, especially in the media world. People talked about the possibility of CNN pink slipping people. Of course, the network denied the rumor... until the rumor was confirmed with layoffs on Tuesday.
The majority of CNN's Atlanta division, which focused on health care, was let go. The only ones left behind were Sanjay Gupta and Elizabeth Cohen, Fox News reported.
“As part of the normal course of business, our newsgathering team made a small restructure earlier this week that ultimately impacts 6-7 employees within CNN’s Health Unit,” a CNN spokesperson told TVNewser.
According to TVNewser, multiple branches are combining. CNN’s Southeast Bureau in Atlanta, CNN Health and CNN Climate will now be under one leadership structure.
“There are no mass layoffs at CNN. I have no idea where that crazy rumor came from. We have recently offered a voluntary buyout option for employees, and just over 100 people voluntarily decided to take it. That's it,” executive vice president Allison Gollust told Fox News on May 7. “?We have nearly 4,000 people at CNN… and around 100 of them exercised the option for a program that was offered. That's it. Those are the facts.”
100 employees decided to take a voluntary buyout option, including CNN International executive vice president Tony Maddox. He was with the media company for more than 21 years.
According to the Daily Wire, a "prominent media figure" said the health care department was "one of the few departments that wasn't focused on anti-Trump stuff."