Chris Licht is out as CNN CEO after growing criticism over the network’s Donald Trump town hall as well as the release of an Atlantic profile that did not go over well with staffers.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav had defended Licht’s efforts to move the network away from the oppositional stance it adopted toward Republicans in the Trump era, but the outgoing CEO appears to have lost Zaslav’s support after the publication of a biting Atlantic profile by Tim Alberta, in which Licht was quoted disparaging CNN’s Trump era journalism.
“I have great respect for Chris, personally and professionally,” Zaslav said in a statement released Wednesday. “The job of leading CNN was never going to be easy, especially at a time of huge disruption and transformation, and he has poured his heart and soul into it. While we know we have work to do as we look to identify a new leader, we have absolute confidence in the team we have in place and will continue to fight for CNN and its world class journalism.”
Licht replaced CNN’s previous CEO Jeff Zucker, who was forced out as a result of the merger that saw Zaslav take charge of CNN’s parent company. Amy Entelis, Virginia Mosely, and Eric Sherling will serve as the acting leadership team.
In his attempt to reshape the network, Licht promised a reset with Republican voters. Part of that was to hear from the Republican frontrunner Donald Trump in an event moderated by host Kaitlan Collins. He also moved Collins, a former writer for the conservative publication the Daily Caller, to a primetime show from her previous post on CNN This Morning.
The CNN chief articulated a “facts-only approach,” trying to steal viewers from Fox News and MSNBC by pursuing aggressive nonpartisan reporting. Licht fired “off mission” staffers like John Harwood and Brian Stelter.
Don Lemon would have been axed early on as well if he wasn’t one of the lone black voices at the network, the Atlantic reported. The controversial host was ultimately fired after a sexist comment toward presidential Nikki Haley as well as the release of a Variety exposé.
However, what was an attempt to cultivate greater ratings backfired, with the network suffering a drop in viewers. CNN’s financial performance in general was in freefall, with only $750 million in profit generated last year, down from $1.25 billion the year before.
Part of that decline is attributable to the shuttering of the streaming service CNN+, which Licht had to deal with as soon as he stepped into the job. There were dozens of layoffs as a result.
Staffers openly criticized Licht for the town hall with Trump. While Collins fact-checked the former president, many felt Trump should not have been given a platform at all. Media reporter Oliver Darcy questioned the network’s decision in his morning newsletter and was scolded by Licht for his “emotional” reporting.
Chief CNN International anchor Christiane Amanpour said she had a robust exchange with Licht over the town hall. Speaking to Columbia Journalism School graduates, the journalist said: “Bothsidesism’ is not always objectivity. It does not get you to the truth. Drawing false moral or factual equivalence is neither objective or truthful.”
The decision to put Representative Byron Donalds (R., Fla.), who has endorsed Trump, on the post-town hall panel also drew outrage.
And then the Atlantic piece was published. “Whereas [Licht] was guarded with CNN employees, our many hours of conversations began to feel like therapy sessions for Licht, safe spaces in which he vented grievances and admitted fears and chased an elusive breakthrough,” Alberta wrote.
Licht criticized CNN’s pandemic coverage in interviews with Alberta, explaining that he disagreed with his predecessor’s decision to ban discussion of the “lab leak theory” of the origins of Covid. The CNN chief also explained that tough questions need to be asked about transgender issues, including the science around prepubescent hormone treatments and life-altering surgeries.
The CNN CEO suggested “the media was less interested in finding answers and more worried about not offending perceived allies,” as Alberta put it.
“Licht insisted that his media critiques were not ideological; that he was rebuking not a liberal slant on the news, per se, but rather a bias toward elite cultural sensibility, a reporting covenant in which affluent urban-dwelling journalists avoid speaking hard truths that would alienate members of their tribe,” wrote Alberta.
Staffers were outraged once again and the CNN chief was forced to apologize Monday, two days before his departure.