CNN has laid off top producers from its entertainment group in a reshuffle of the unit, TheWrap has learned.
Among those laid off were longtime executive producer Karen Bonsignore and part of her team including Jennifer Wolfe, Doug Hyde, Denise Quan and KJ Matthews, according to an individual with knowledge of the layoffs. Bonsignore (pictured, below left) had worked for CNN for 32 years.
According to insiders, the changes were part of a plan to restructure the cable news network’s approach to entertainment coverage.
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The daily entertainment show “Showbiz Tonight” on sister network HLN was apparently not affected by the layoffs. On Monday, HLN announced that “Showbiz Tonight” would take up three hours of the network’s weekday real estate, with a live one hour show at 6 p.m. and reruns at noon and 11 p.m.
TVNewser reported layoffs in LA, NY and Atlanta on Friday, with a dozen people let go, who would be replaced by new blood.
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Network president Jeff Zucker has struggled to reposition CNN. The network reboot got off to a strong start with an injection of fresh on-air talent, new morning show “New Day” and the relaunch of “Crossfire,” but those shows are struggling in the ratings. On the week of Oct. 28, the network suffered its lowest primetime average ratings since Zucker took over in January 2013.
CNN did not respond to TheWrap’s requests for comment.
For the record: An unfinished version of this story was inadvertently published which misidentified one of the producers who was laid off. TheWrap regrets the error.