NBC News cuts 150 staffers amid Versant spinoff

• Before the planned split, NBC News shared newsgathering resources with MSNBC and CNBC.

Zoom in: In a memo to staff, NBCUniversal News Group chairman Cesar Conde said the cuts were "necessary to remain strong as an industry leader," but "they are not easy and are never taken lightly."

Between the lines: The cuts hit an array of departments across NBC News. Notably, the outlet's diversity unit was impacted heavily, two sources confirmed to Axios.

• Around a dozen eliminated positions are being repurposed as new roles, a source told Axios. Impacted employees are encouraged to apply to those roles.

Zoom out: The cuts come as consolidation continues to put pressure on journalism jobs across the industry.

• The merger between Skydance Media and Paramount, completed in August, is also expected to result in layoffs in coming months.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to remove quotes that were inaccurately attributed to Conde.