NBC News Cuts About 7% of Staff
NBC News on Wednesday began laying off about 150 people, or roughly 7 percent of its staff, as the news division rebounds from a corporate spinoff and the continued headwinds affecting the traditional television industry.
The cuts, which will affect nearly every part of the organization, precede a much-anticipated split that will separate many of Comcast’s cable channels — MSNBC, CNBC and USA Network — from the rest of its businesses, including NBC News.
No anchors will be affected by the cuts, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Affected employees, who are getting 60 days’ notice, will receive severance and a subsidized benefits package, the two people said.
Related Knowledge Center: State of the business model
The traditional journalism business model has long since collapsed, and news organizations have shrunk or disappeared entirely. While a number of promising experiments are under way, the public has not shown a willingness to buy what news organizations are selling.