Chris Licht, Chairman and CEO, CNN Worldwide speaks onstage throughout the Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront 2022 present at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on May 18, 2022 in New York City.
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Embattled CNN Chief Executive Chris Licht apologized to the information group’s staff Monday morning throughout the cable information community’s 9 a.m. ET name, in accordance to individuals conversant in 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 successful 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 workers are overtly rebelling towards his resolution final month to air a Donald Trump city corridor with tons of of his cheering followers. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav wasn’t happy with the profile, titled “Inside the Meltdown at CNN,” and agreed it was mishandled, in accordance to individuals conversant in his considering.
Licht stated throughout the name he understands staffers’ frustration and is intent on incomes his workers’ belief, stated the individuals. He did not particularly converse to why he participated in The Atlantic profile, wherein 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 brief, stated the individuals, who weren’t licensed to talk about the matter publicly.
A CNN spokesperson declined to remark.
Licht introduced the hiring of David Leavy on Thursday because the community’s new chief operating officer. Leavy will likely be tasked with taking up advertising, public relations, promoting gross sales, services and different logistics.
The transfer will enable 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 Show with Stephen Colbert” on CBS.
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