CNN Employee Confirms Memo, Reporters To Use Mac PowerBooks (Updated)

by , 12:30 PM EST, January 18th, 2001

A CNN memo originally posted at the Drudge Report, and now confirmed by a CNN employee, lays out plans for major restructuring at the news powerhouse. As part of a restructuring process, CNN is reportedly going to lay off 400 employees. Also, to increase productivity and field coverage, CNN is going to equip small reporting teams with Apple PowerBooks and DV camcorders.

The Drudge Report memo states:

We intend to accelerate our plans to introduce compact hi-tech newsgathering gear. Look for the quick introduction of small, high-quality DV cameras and laptop editing equipment (a Mac laptop), enabling us to deploy smaller reporting teams one or two people at times when it makes sense. Larger gear will be with us for some time to come and will be used as needed. But the days of routinely dispatching three- and four-person reporting teams with cases of bulky equipment are approaching an end. As we introduce this new gear, correspondents would do well to learn how to shoot and edit (even if called upon only occasionally to utilize those skills), and smart shooters and editors will learn how to write and track. While this is not a one-size-fits-all strategy and CNN will always value exceptional ability, the more multi-talented a newsgatherer, the more opportunity the News Group will provide that person.

A CNN employee, who wants to remain unidentified, sent us the following note:

As a C N N employee, I can confirm this memo is real. it was sent outyesterday to everyone, sorta as a precursor to the re-org that's coming up.it's a great move towards streamlining C N N's newsgathering operation,IMHO...

Just thought I'd give my $.02...

The rest of the Drudge Report memo lays out plans for different news gathering strategies, internal organizational changes, and other forthcoming structural changes. You can read the full memo at the Drudge Report Web site.

The Mac Observer Spin:

Once the changes are implemented, the CNN broadcast you are watching might come to you courtesy of FireWire, iMovie, and a PowerBook.

Drudge Report