CNN Trims Staff, But Not Its Sails

Here's CNN president Jon Klein talking to the New York Observer last month about how his network is swimming in cash thanks to election-driven ratings gains:

We've been smart about deploying the vast resources that we have at our disposal. But knowing that we have the profits to plow back into the coverage gives us an immense advantage. We can afford more people on our air and off our air. So, goddamn it, we're going to have more people.

More people, sure -- but not necessarily the same people, evidently -- since the network laid off correspondent and six producers, who together made up the network's science, space and technology reporting unit yesterday. CNN is positioning the cutback as a strategic move meant to integrate those areas into the main newsgathering structure rather than keep them as a standalone.

Likewise, when American Morning let go eight writers and producers last month, it was spun as an editorially-driven action. And when CNN unveiled plans for an "expansion" of coverage using "all-platform journalists," it actually resulted in some bureaus shrinking.

So next time Klein says (as he did to the Observer) "We're not going to trim our sails," or "the best path through turbulent economic times is growth," CNN employees should bear in mind what that might mean.