CNNMoney lays off biz reporter in Washington

Jennifer Liberto, a business reporter for CNNMoney in Washington, was laid off effective Aug. 31, sources confirmed to Talking Biz News.

She has been CNN’s only person in DC dedicated full-time to covering business and economic news. Her position is actually being eliminated.

CNNMoney executive editor Lex Haris did not immediately respond to an email, but a CNNMoney spokeswoman said the company does not comment on personnel matters. However, the Washington bureau is going through a restructuring. which was reported in the Washington Post last week.

The move, however, comes just months after CNNMoney.com introduced major changes to its website that are the result of its parent company spinning off its magazine operation into a separate entity. CNNMoney has a staff of about 75 people, with journalists in New York, Hong Kong and London.

Liberto had been there for the past five and a half years. She is a senior writer for CNNMoney, covering the financial crisis, financial regulations, the economy and economic indicators, the Federal Reserve and personal finance issues for CNN and CNNMoney.

Before that, Liberto worked at the St. Petersburg Times in Florida for seven years, and for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for two-and-a-half years.

She is a Northwestern graduate.