CNN has announced about 200 layoffs as it tries to modernize the business

Warner Bros. Discovery’s CNN announced Thursday that it will cut about 6% of its total workforce, or 210 employees.

CNN CEO Mark Thompson announced the layoffs in a memo to employees Thursday, CNBC confirmed on Wednesday that the cuts were coming. In the memo, Thompson said CNN doesn’t expect total headcount to drop “significantly” this year because the company plans to invest $70 million in new digital plans.

“Regardless of the total number of job losses, I know the impact on the individuals involved will be significant,” Thompson wrote in the memo, obtained by CNBC. “The process of change is necessary if we are to prosper in the future, but I believe the true consequences of humanity are regrettable.”

The layoffs come as CNN adjusts its linear TV lineup and builds digital subscription products. The cuts will help CNN reduce production costs and strengthen teams, according to people familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss non-public considerations. Some shows produced in New York or Washington may be moved to Atlanta, where production can be done more cheaply, the people said.

For the most part, the job cuts won’t affect CNN’s most recognizable names under contract, the people said. CNN has approximately 3,500 employees worldwide.

A CNN spokeswoman declined to comment beyond Thompson’s statement.

CNN announced several new initiatives in the memo. The company is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery is planning a new way to stream CNN to digital subscribers outside of CNN Max, which is part of its broader Max streaming service. CNN plans to announce content details “in the coming months,” Thompson said in a memo to staff. CNN had planned to launch its own streaming service, CNN+, in 2022, but the service It is closed Chris Leach, who was appointed to take over as CEO, almost immediately.

In October, CNN launched a digital paywall; Charging $3.99 per month for heavy users of the site. The news organization’s goal is to reach one billion dollars in revenue by 2030.

CNN plans to hire at least 100 new jobs in the coming months to build a broader digital presence, invest in product and technology, and create “new, high-quality journalism and storytelling.” Part of that investment will be in a “lifestyle-focused digital product” that CNN is developing.

CNN is renewing its television programming in the US and internationally.