CNN staffers are hopping mad that bosses are building anchor Robin Meade an expensive private toilet while employees are being laid off at their Atlanta headquarters.
HLN anchor Meade has demanded a loo and a sink in her office at Atlanta’s CNN Center, and, according to internal e-mails, the lavish latrine could cost up to $100,000.
But the malodorous move has been met with fury by CNN International staffers who have been told to reapply for their jobs.
An insider said: “Staff have been told there will be least 40 layoffs at the CNN International assignment desk. All desk editors have 30 days to reapply for their jobs. They want to move some of those jobs to Hong Kong and London. But just a year ago, they laid off those same positions in London and Hong Kong. Meanwhile, Robin is getting a new, $100,000 luxury latrine.”
Staff are buzzing CNN is slowly moving out of Atlanta and eventually plans to move its entire operation to Hudson Yards in Manhattan. “Jeff Zucker [president of CNN Worldwide] wants CNN out of Atlanta and completely in New York,” our source added.
Time Warner announced in 2014 it had sold its floors at Columbus Circle and was preparing to move to Hudson Yards. The move will see employees at Time Warner corporate, HBO, Turner, CNN and Warner Bros. move to the far West 30s starting in 2018.
Another CNN source said of Meade’s wondrous new water closet, “This isn’t as stinky as it sounds. Robin and those on her show currently have to run to a bathroom that is down the hall on another floor. A 2¹/₂-minute break often isn’t long enough to make it back to the set.”
A CNN rep said, “Robin inquired about building a bathroom closer to the studio to benefit the team that does a four-hour live show every day. The estimate has no correlation to other company matters.”
CNN didn’t comment about the layoffs or the move to New York.