Tensions are rising inside CNN as rank-and-file staffers reel from the news that political correspondent Kaitlan Collins has purchased a luxury Nantucket beach home, just as Warner Bros. Discovery prepares to slash costs and potentially lay off high-profile talent and production staff across the network.
Collins, 33, reportedly closed on a high-end property on the exclusive Massachusetts island — a popular retreat for elite vacationers and home to President Biden’s annual Thanksgiving getaway. While the purchase was not officially confirmed, internal grumbling from CNN employees has surged, with anonymous insiders accusing Collins of flaunting wealth and being “way overpaid” amid a rapidly deteriorating climate at the network.
“She just bought some bougie place and CNN people are grossed out that she paid so much,” one staffer told Page Six.
Collins, a rising figure in CNN’s political coverage and host of a primetime program, reportedly earns around $3 million annually. While far below the salary of veterans like Anderson Cooper ($18 million), Jake Tapper ($7 million), and Wolf Blitzer ($15 million), her relatively quick ascent and now-luxury status have made her a target of frustration among colleagues—particularly as Warner Bros. CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels signals major structural cutbacks.
According to reports from Fox News and Daily Mail, Wiedenfels has taken a hard look at CNN’s financials and is preparing to shrink operations, pare down salaries, and reevaluate production costs. Industry observers expect massive layoffs, especially among support staff, mid-level producers, and off-air talent, all of whom lack union protection.
A former CNN staffer told Puck News that the financial calculus is already underway:
“Why, for instance, would Gunnar pay Anderson Cooper $18 million a year when Kaitlan Collins draws the same ratings at roughly a fifth of the salary?”
That kind of math, sources say, is likely to redefine CNN’s on-air lineup and support structures, especially as the network continues to post record-low ratings. Last month, CNN reportedly logged its second-lowest audience numbers in history, with viewership in the 25–54 demographic — key for advertisers — sharply declining in both day and primetime slots.
Insiders blame the network’s long-standing culture of overspending under former CNN President Jeff Zucker, whose approach prioritized high salaries and exclusive loyalty. That policy ballooned talent costs across the board, with top anchors earning five times their market value, according to internal estimates.
With Warner Bros. Discovery under pressure to rein in costs across its media portfolio, CNN appears poised for a drastic course correction, starting with salaries and program expenses. International bureaus, event budgets, and even long-running show teams are all under review.
“It’s not just the overpriced talent. It’s the overpriced producers. The overpriced executives. The superfluous reporters who barely are on the air,” one insider said. “All will either be exited or forced to take massive pay cuts.”
