Television Networks Layoffs

Two weeks ago David Burrington, the correspondent for NBC News in San Francisco, was covering a story--on unemployment among farm workers in the San Joaquin Valley--when he got word that an NBC News executive was trying to reach him. The executive, Robert McFarland, flew out to San Francisco from New York to have breakfast with Burrington the next morning. At that meeting, McFarland told Burrington that NBC News was going to close its San Francisco bureau as of June 1.

With the slowing economy affecting corporate underwriting, the Public Broadcasting Service trimmed its staff by more than 10%, or about 59 positions, its second round of cost-cutting in the past year. The cuts, to be made through a combination of 27 layoffs and the rest in unfilled positions, follow a 9% staffing reduction, or 60 positions, in March, and will bring PBS' total number of employees to just over 500.

With the slowing economy affecting corporate underwriting, the Public Broadcasting Service trimmed its staff by more than 10%, or about 59 positions, its second round of cost-cutting in the past year. The cuts, to be made through a combination of 27 layoffs and the rest in unfilled positions, follow a 9% staffing reduction, or 60 positions, in March, and will bring PBS' total number of employees to just over 500.

CNN said it will lay off nearly 10% of its 4,350 employees and centralize its news- gathering system in a bid to revitalize the 21-year-old cable news network at a time of declining ratings and intense new competition. CNN also named new executives to head three struggling spinoff cable networks. The moves, which will tie CNN's television operations more closely to its Internet sites, had been anticipated since last week's acquisition of CNN parent Time Warner by America Online.

NBC confirmed that the network, owned by General Electric Co., plans to eliminate as many as 300 jobs, or 5% of its work force, to cut costs. NBC now has about 6,500 employees. Cuts will be made "across the board," though nonprogramming divisions, such as finance and other back-office functions, will be hit harder, said spokeswoman Cassie Kantor, who declined to comment on how much the reductions are expected to save the network.

Joan Snyder is packing up 29 years' worth of memories at CBS News. Reporter's spiral notebooks, old photos (a dark-haired Snyder on assignment in a 1960s miniskirt), letters from viewers on stories that affected their lives--it all spills out of drawers into cardboard boxes in an oddly quiet corridor of offices at CBS' "Sunday Morning." "This whole place feels quiet," said Snyder, who has worked as a producer for "Sunday Morning" since 1987.

CNN said it will lay off nearly 10% of its 4,350 employees and centralize its news- gathering system in a bid to revitalize the 21-year-old cable news network at a time of declining ratings and intense new competition. CNN also named new executives to head three struggling spinoff cable networks. The moves, which will tie CNN's television operations more closely to its Internet sites, had been anticipated since last week's acquisition of CNN parent Time Warner by America Online.

The softer advertising environment is taking its toll on some of America's major television networks, with layoffs and hiring freezes at some top TV companies growing. U.S. television network NBC, home of top-ranked TV shows such as "Friends" and "Frasier," said Friday it will lay off 280 to 560 people, or 5% to 10% of its 5,600 workers, in the quarter as it seeks to cut costs in the wake of a slowing economy, which has hurt advertising demand.

NBC confirmed that the network, owned by General Electric Co., plans to eliminate as many as 300 jobs, or 5% of its work force, to cut costs. NBC now has about 6,500 employees. Cuts will be made "across the board," though nonprogramming divisions, such as finance and other back-office functions, will be hit harder, said spokeswoman Cassie Kantor, who declined to comment on how much the reductions are expected to save the network.

Joan Snyder is packing up 29 years' worth of memories at CBS News. Reporter's spiral notebooks, old photos (a dark-haired Snyder on assignment in a 1960s miniskirt), letters from viewers on stories that affected their lives--it all spills out of drawers into cardboard boxes in an oddly quiet corridor of offices at CBS' "Sunday Morning." "This whole place feels quiet," said Snyder, who has worked as a producer for "Sunday Morning" since 1987.

Two weeks ago David Burrington, the correspondent for NBC News in San Francisco, was covering a story--on unemployment among farm workers in the San Joaquin Valley--when he got word that an NBC News executive was trying to reach him. The executive, Robert McFarland, flew out to San Francisco from New York to have breakfast with Burrington the next morning. At that meeting, McFarland told Burrington that NBC News was going to close its San Francisco bureau as of June 1.