The CW is the latest victim of industry-wide layoffs, with over two dozen employees at the network impacted across its scripted programming and PR divisions. CW president Brad Schwartz called the staff cuts “one of the hardest decisions a company can make,” while emphasizing they set up the network to continue “to reach a broader and larger audience, continue our march to profitability, and continue to position The CW for long term success.”
“Saying goodbye to talented friends and colleagues is painful and deeply personal, and I know that each of these individuals has been a vital part of who we are,” Schwartz said in a note to staff. “We are making these changes not because they are easy, but because we believe they are necessary to build a stronger future for The CW.”
An individual familiar with the matter says the move is in response to a shift in programming to sports and unscripted content. The cuts come as Dennis Miller stepped down as president after two years, with Schwartz taking over his responsibilities after Miller shifted into an advisory role at the end of October.
“The CW continues to streamline and simplify the organization as we continue to transform the network to reach a broader audience, achieve profitability, and position the business for long-term success,” Nexstar chief communications officer Gary Weitman said in a statement. “Saying good-bye to valued colleagues is not something we take lightly, and we intend to conduct this process thoughtfully. We also are committed to managing through this period of unprecedented change in the media industry to build a business that will thrive.”
Miller ran the CW since he was appointed by Nexstar CEO Perry Sook in fall 2022 alongside entertainment president Schwartz to revamp the network following its acquisition. The move has been at times polarizing, with the network stepping away from young adult-skewing shows in favor of wider-reaching content and live sports. Miller had previously extended in his contract to lead the network through 2027, but opted to step down this year.
“I’ve had a front row seat during a remarkable 11-year run with Nexstar and enjoyed navigating this period of significant transformation for the network,” Miller said in a statement to press in October. “With some of the highest ratings The CW has seen in years and long-term contracts with an array of premium live sports in place, the future of The CW looks very promising.”
The strategy shifts at the network have been working on the business side. During the company’s third quarter earnings report, Nexstar reported that operating losses for the broadcaster have been reduced by $119 million year-to-date, exceeding expectations set for 2024.
“Since we acquired The CW in the fourth quarter of 2022, we have transformed the profile of the network. We’ve increased the number of hours of total programming by over 40%, and now 46% of the programming hours The CW will deliver in 2025 will be sports and sports-related programming, including NASCAR, WWE, ACC football and basketball and PAC 12 football and more,” Nexstar CEO and chairman Perry Sook said during the Thursday earnings call. “We are accomplishing this with lower cost for programming that will generate higher viewership than the originals the network previously aired.”
Read Schwartz’s full note to staff below:
Team:
Today we had to make one of the hardest decisions a company can make—eliminating a number of positions. Saying goodbye to talented friends and colleagues is painful and deeply personal, and I know that each of these individuals has been a vital part of who we are. We are making these changes not because they are easy, but because we believe they are necessary to build a stronger future for The CW.
Legendary media executive Peter Chernin once said, “The only jobs worth taking are the ones where you get to start something or the ones where you get to fix something.” We’ve worked tirelessly over the past two years to evolve and reimagine The CW, against both tough competition and incredible change in our industry. It’s hard to believe everything we’ve accomplished in such a short amount of time. The journey has been challenging and meaningful, and there is still lots of work to do.
We will continue to transform the network to reach a broader and larger audience, continue our march to profitability, and continue to position The CW for long term success.
We are moving forward into 2025 with more live sports than ever, including the NASCAR Xfinity series, WWE NXT, PAC-12 Football, ACC Football and Basketball, and more. We’re producing exciting new game shows like Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit, unscripted hits like Penn & Teller: Fool Us and Police 24/7, and returning scripted favorites like Sullivan’s Crossing, Wild Cards, and All American.
As we look to the future, we remain committed to staying nimble, always open to change, and willing to adapt and grow. To those who are leaving, I’d like to thank you for everything you’ve done to shape The CW. To those continuing on, let’s keep working hard, pushing boundaries, and building something we can all be proud of.
Sincerely,
Brad
