CNN’s Jeff Zucker doesn’t expect most employees back in offices until September
CNN chief Jeff Zucker told staff that most employees shouldn't expect to be back in their offices until September at the earliest.
In a memo to CNN employees, he said he believes a return to regular operations will happen "very slowly" under the current pandemic.
Right now, about 10 percent of the worldwide workforce is working at their offices and that may go up to about 15 percent by June.
“Our expectation is that the rest of you will not return before early September, with a few exceptions in July for newsgathering and some in August, depending on the political conventions,” he said in his email. “Of course, none of these dates are set in stone, with many questions left to be answered before we can move forward. But, to be clear, production of our programs will continue from home, as it is now, until the end of summer. Same for digital.”
A skeleton staff is working at CNN Center in Atlanta right now. Hundreds are working from home.
Atlanta’s operations include HLN, CNN production, CNN Digital and CNN International.
Most CNN anchors are based in New York, where some are operating out of small studios at the offices and others are working from home. Two prominent New York-based anchors at CNN have gotten COVID-19: Chris Cuomo and former Atlantan Brooke Baldwin.
About the Author
Rodney Ho writes about entertainment for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution including TV, radio, film, comedy and all things in between. A native New Yorker, he has covered education at The Virginian-Pilot, small business for The Wall Street Journal and a host of beats at the AJC over 20-plus years. He loves tennis, pop culture & seeing live events.
