Chris Licht Out at CNN
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
CNN CEO Chris Licht is leaving the network as part of the fallout from the apparent loss of confidence in his leadership.
The shocking development was broken by Dylan Byers of Puck News, who wrote on Twitter that Licht is leaving the company and will be temporarily replaced by CNN executive Amy Entelis. The story was confirmed moments later by The New York Times.
Mediaite received a statement from Warner Bros Discovery ascertaining Licht’s step down. CEO David Zaslav had this to say about the CNN chief’s departure:
I have great respect for Chris, personally and professionally. 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.
Here’s the full breakdown of CNN’s leadership shuffle, per Puck:
Now, after a year of leadership missteps, programming misfires, a disastrous Trump town hall and the near-total decimation of staff morale in the wake of a chilling all-access Atlantic story, Licht will be vacating the C.E.O. position. In the next 48 hours, I’m told, Warner Bros. Discovery will announce that Licht will be stepping down as chairman and C.E.O. of CNN, ostensibly bringing an end to one of the most turbulent periods in the network’s 43-year history.
Licht will be replaced for an interim period by Amy Entelis, the revered longtime CNN executive, talent whisperer and CNN Films chief who served as a loyal deputy for years to Licht’s predecessor, Jeff Zucker. Entelis, who is 72, will oversee all programming and editorial matters—and, perhaps more importantly, shore up staff morale—while Zaz works to recruit a new chief executive. Meanwhile, David Leavy, the Zaslav consigliere who was recently installed as CNN’s chief operating officer, will oversee the business side, including all commercial, operational, and promotional matters. Licht’s handpicked direct reports would appear to be vulnerable in the shakeup.
Licht’s future at CNN has been called into question ever since Tim Alberta released his profile on him for The Atlantic. The article portrayed Licht as aloof and disengaged from CNN’s staff, his programming decisions were fiercely opposed by the network’s talent, and subsequent reports have shown that CNN’s top talent had lost faith in his efforts to take the network in a new direction.
Licht spoke with staffers in an effort to mend bridges after the profile came out, though questions about his longevity remained as CNN’s Oliver Darcy reported that Licht already “lost the room” with the employee base.
Darcy posted on Twitter that Zaslav briefed CNN on the situation in an editorial call.
This story is breaking, and we will update accordingly.
