CNN CEO Chris Licht out after Trump city corridor, Atlantic article

Chris Licht is out at CNN after main the information community for a little bit greater than a 12 months, dad or mum firm Warner Bros Discovery introduced Wednesday morning.

The corporate stated it’s in search of a substitute. Within the meantime, executives Amy Entelis, Virginia Moseley, Eric Sherling and David Leavy will lead CNN, the corporate stated.

“Now we have nice confidence on this group and can absolutely help them till a brand new CEO is called,” Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav stated in a memo to workers on Wednesday, including the corporate can be conducting a search internally and externally for CNN’s subsequent chief. “We’re in good arms, permitting us to take the time we have to run a considerate and thorough seek for a brand new chief.”

Licht’s departure got here as he confronted a revolt amongst CNN’s expertise and workers. His tenure, which successfully began when he eradicated the community’s costly CNN+ streaming service, was riddled with programming missteps and rock-bottom rankings.

“I’ve recognized Chris for a few years and have huge respect for him, personally and professionally. This job was by no means going to be straightforward, particularly at a time of nice disruption and transformation, and Chris poured his coronary heart and soul into it,” Zaslav stated in his memo. “Sadly, issues didn’t work out the way in which we had hoped – and in the end that is on me. I take accountability.”

Chris Licht, Chairman and CEO of CNN Worldwide.

Courtesy: CNN

Licht drew heated criticism in current weeks after the community hosted a city corridor with Donald Trump that was filled with scores of the previous president’s cheering followers. Whereas the occasion drew 3.3 million viewers, CNN’s rankings plummeted afterward. Two days after the city corridor, CNN’s prime-time viewership got here in under right-wing outlet Newsmax, a a lot smaller community.

But it surely was an unflattering 15,000-word profile of Licht in The Atlantic – titled “Contained in the Meltdown at CNN” – that may have sealed his destiny. He apologized to staffers Monday morning, however prime brass at CNN’s dad or mum firm, Warner Bros. Discovery, together with CEO David Zaslav, weren’t pleased with the article and the aftermath.

The transfer comes quickly after Leavy, a key Zaslav ally, was named the community’s new chief working officer. Leavy was tasked with taking up advertising, public relations, promoting gross sales, services and different logistics.

The transfer was supposed to permit Licht to focus extra on programming. Licht helped launch MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” as its govt producer in 2007 and later turned govt producer and showrunner of “The Late Present with Stephen Colbert” on CBS.

Learn Zaslav’s memo to workers:

All,

This morning we’re asserting that Chris Licht shall be leaving CNN and we shall be conducting a large search, internally and externally, for a brand new chief. I needed you to listen to this information immediately from me because it impacts you and your groups. 

I’ve recognized Chris for a few years and have huge respect for him, personally and professionally. This job was by no means going to be straightforward, particularly at a time of nice disruption and transformation, and Chris poured his coronary heart and soul into it. He has a deep love for journalism and this enterprise and that has been evident all through his tenure. Sadly, issues didn’t work out the way in which we had hoped – and in the end that is on me. I take accountability. Evidently, we respect Chris’ efforts and dedication and want him all the perfect.

Now we have put in place a strong transition plan with the appointment of an performing management workforce made up of skilled programming executives… Amy Entelis, EVP, Expertise & Content material Growth, Virginia Moseley, EVP, Editorial, and Eric Sherling, EVP, U.S. Programming, together with David Leavy, COO, on the business facet. Now we have nice confidence on this group and can absolutely help them till a brand new CEO is called. We’re in good arms, permitting us to take the time we have to run a considerate and thorough seek for a brand new chief. I acknowledge that modifications like this may be worrying and respect your continued persistence as we transfer by way of this course of. 

You have heard me say it many instances: CNN has the best journalists on this planet… we’re deeply dedicated to supporting them and the vital work that CNN does daily. We should get this proper – and we are going to!

David

Disclosure: NBCUniversal is the dad or mum firm of MSNBC and CNBC.