CNN head Chris Licht out at news network after brief, tumultuous tenure
NEW YORK — Chris Licht is out after a year as chief executive at CNN, following a series of missteps and plunging ratings.
David Zaslav, the CEO of CNN parent company Warner Bros. Discovery, announced the leadership change on CNN’s morning editorial call on Wednesday.
Zaslav appointed a four-person leadership team to lead the network in the interim.
Licht replaced Jeff Zucker as CNN’s chief executive last year, with a mandate to make the network move the network more toward the political center. But a town hall meeting with Donald Trump received wide criticism, and a revamp of the network’s morning show imploded with the firing of Don Lemon.
A lengthy profile of Licht in Atlantic magazine that came out on Friday proved embarrassing and likely sealed his fate. Only two days ago, Licht promised on the same morning editorial call to fight to regain the trust of CNN employees.
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But internally, Licht couldn’t gain the support of many at the network who felt loyal to Zucker, who was forced out following the revelation of an improper relationship with a work colleague.
CNN’s May ratings were dismal, with prime-time viewership less than half of rival of MSNBC, with Fox News Channel still leading among the cable networks.
Zaslav appointed four current CNN executives — Amy Entelis, Virginia Moseley, Eric Sherling and David Leavy — to run the network while a search for a replacement is conducted.
“We are in good hands, allowing us to take the time we need to run a thoughtful and thorough search for a new leader,” Zaslav said in a memo to CNN staff.
50 famous firsts from TV history
50 famous firsts from TV history
1930: First television drama
1936: First live sports broadcast
1940: First televised religious service
1941: First televised commercial
1944: First original musical
1947: First televised children’s show
1947: First marriage bed
1947: First evening news show
1950: First show to use a laugh track
1950: First cartoon on TV
1951: First color TV broadcast
1951: First talk show
1951: First show filmed for a live studio audience
1952: First early morning network news show
1953: First pregnancy and birth storyline
1956: First reality TV show
1956: First music video on TV
1956: First death of a major TV character
1957: First toilet on screen
1960: First televised presidential debate
1960: First animated show for primetime
1962: First televised tour of the White House
1965: First series to star a Black actor
1966: First British TV show aired on US primetime
1967: First televised Super Bowl
1968: First interracial kiss
1971: First TV show warning
1971: First show videotaped for a live studio audience
1964: First abortion storyline
1967: First utterance of ‘hell’
1971: First on-screen belly button
1972: First recurring gay character
1973: First on-screen male nudity
1973: First on-screen female nudity
1975: First TV theme to reach #1 on Billboard
1975: First condom ad
1975: First gay couple on television
1975: First satellite broadcast
1976: First F-bomb
1979: First rap/hip-hop song on TV
1987: First lingerie ad
1991: First female same-sex kiss
1991: First same-sex marriage
1993: First openly gay teenager
1997: First lesbian protagonist
1999: First scripted S-Word
2001: First male same-sex kiss
2007: First trans woman with recurring role
2017: First nonbinary television character
2018: First majority transgender and queer cast
2020: First multi-camera sitcom to film without an audience during the COVID-19 pandemic
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