Chris Licht, Chairman and CEO, CNN Worldwide speaks onstage through the Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront 2022 present at The Theater at Madison Sq. Backyard on Might 18, 2022 in New York Metropolis.
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Embattled CNN Chief Govt Chris Licht apologized to the information group’s employees Monday morning through the cable information community’s 9 a.m. ET name, in keeping with folks accustomed to the matter.
Licht informed staffers he did not acknowledge himself in a 15,000-word profile story in The Atlantic that revealed Friday. The story documented his views on CNN’s protection and his makes an attempt at profitable over staffers throughout his first yr on the job.
Some CNN staffers noticed the Licht journal profile as displaying poor judgment at a time when rankings are falling and staff are overtly rebelling in opposition to his determination final month to air a Donald Trump city corridor with a whole bunch of his cheering followers. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav wasn’t happy with the profile, titled “Contained in the Meltdown at CNN,” and agreed it was mishandled, in keeping with folks accustomed to his pondering.
Licht mentioned through the name he understands staffers’ frustration and is intent on incomes his staff’ belief, mentioned the folks. He did not particularly converse to why he participated in The Atlantic profile, through which reporter Tim Alberta spent months with Licht, together with becoming a member of him on the gymnasium throughout a private coaching session and attending backstage CNN programming rehearsals. Licht’s remarks had been quick, mentioned the folks, who weren’t approved to debate the matter publicly.
A CNN spokesperson declined to remark.
Licht introduced the hiring of David Leavy on Thursday because the community’s new chief working officer. Leavy might be tasked with taking up advertising and marketing, public relations, promoting gross sales, amenities and different logistics.
The transfer will permit Licht to focus extra on programming, which is his background. Licht helped launched 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.
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