CNBC to shut HK office and axe key international shows

CNBC, a unit of Versant Media Group, is shutting down its Hong Kong bureau and canceling several daily live shows as part of a major operational overhaul across Asia and Europe.

In a statement sent to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, a CNBC spokesperson said that the international business-day programmes Inside India, The China Connection, and Europe Early Edition have been discontinued.

Meanwhile, the feature programmes CNBC Meets and Built for Billions will conclude according to their existing broadcast schedules. The changes are part of CNBC's broader international programming adjustments, the spokesperson said, aimed at ensuring the unit continues to serve its audiences best.

“International editorial coverage will continue to be led from London, Abu Dhabi, Singapore and Beijing. As part of these programming and production changes, the Hong Kong bureau will close, while editorial coverage of Hong Kong and the wider region will continue as part of our Asia reporting," said the spokesperson. 

According to reports such as the South China Morning Post, an internal executive memo revealed that the decision followed months of evaluating international programming, commercial viability, and resource deployment.

The move comes after Comcast spun off its cable television networks, including CNBC and MS NOW, into a new company, Versant, at the start of 2026. CNBC earlier that year laid off more than a dozen employees, including the managing editor of its website, as part of a newsroom reorganisation. CNBC reported that the separation, structured as a tax-free spin-off of NBCUniversal and Sky, is expected to be completed in roughly a year.

Don't miss: Yahoo Hong Kong scales back media operations with staff cuts

Hong Kong's media landscape has faced mounting headwinds in recent years. Back in April, Yahoo began a phased scale-back of its local operations, including Yahoo News and its financial news services, bringing an end to 27 years of service in the city. Most full-time newsroom staff, including sales team members, were laid off, leaving only a small number of employees to handle transition arrangements.

In a statement, a Yahoo spokesperson said the wind-down was targeted for completion later this year and reflected ongoing global adjustments aligned with the company’s long-term priorities. Yahoo Mail and Yahoo Search are not impacted by this transition and will continue to operate as usual in Hong Kong.

Similarly, The Wall Street Journal relocated its Asia headquarters from Hong Kong to Singapore in 2024, while also downsizing its Hong Kong editorial team to single digits. Multiple reports indicated that Hong Kong-based reporters would be relocated to Singapore or other parts of Asia, while several editors and reporters faced layoffs."

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