Chris Licht breaks silence after leaving CNN
Chris Licht, the CEO of CNN, has been ousted from his position after just 13 tumultuous months at the helm of the news network. A scathing exposé by The Atlantic cited Licht’s aloof and paranoid management style, and his failure to move the network away from the “anti-Trump” message it had adopted under his predecessor. The report proved to be the final straw, prompting Licht to apologize to his staff, but resulting in his immediate resignation. Three in-house executives will temporarily take over the role as CNN’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, seeks a replacement.
FAQs:
What was Licht’s mandate as CEO?
Licht was tasked with moving CNN away from the “anti-Trump” messaging adopted by his predecessor, Jeff Zucker.
What were some of the controversies during Licht’s tenure?
Licht’s tenure was plagued by drama and controversy that bled over from the old regime headed by Zucker, who was booted from the network in early 2022 for failing to disclose his relationship with a subordinate. Licht’s management style was also called into question, with accusations of being aloof and paranoid.
What prompted Licht’s resignation?
A damning exposé by The Atlantic detailed Licht’s failure to move CNN away from its “anti-Trump” message and his increasingly paranoid management style. Licht apologized to his staff, but the report proved to be the final straw, resulting in his immediate resignation.
Who will take over as CEO of CNN?
Three in-house executives, including talent boss Amy Entelis, editorial head Virginia Moseley, and programming chief Eric Sherling, will lead CNN temporarily while Warner Bros. Discovery seeks a replacement. David Leavy, a longtime confidante of CNN’s corporate parent, will serve as the network’s chief operating officer.
Breaking his silence after departing CNN: Chris Licht
Chris Licht has been ousted as the CEO of CNN after just 13 months on the job. Licht was handpicked last May by David Zaslav, who is the head of Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN’s corporate parent, and tasked with moving the network away from its “anti-Trump” messaging under former CEO Jeff Zucker’s leadership. However, Licht’s tenure was filled with drama and controversy that bled over from the old regime headed by Zucker who was ousted earlier this year for failing to disclose his relationship with a subordinate. The nail in Licht’s coffin was a damning 15,000-word report by The Atlantic that detailed the boss’ aloof and increasingly paranoid management style as he struggled to step out of Zucker’s shadow. In the wake of the scathing article, Licht apologized to staffers and even phoned CNN anchors “he’s never spoken to before” in a last-ditch effort to gain his employees’ trust. Zaslav announced that Licht’s resignation was effective immediately on Wednesday. Three in-house executives will temporarily fill the role of CEO while Warner Bros. Discovery seeks a new chief to resuscitate the news channel.