An Exploration on the Abrupt Departure of CNN Chairman and CEO Chris Licht

Chris Licht Departs as CEO and Chairman of CNN Amid Company Chaos

Introduction

After a brief one-year tenure, Chris Licht, the CEO and Chairman of CNN, has left the company amid a series of missteps. David Zaslav, the Chief Executive of CNN‘s parent company Warner Bros, Discovery, announced the departure during the network’s daily editorial meeting.

A Tumultuous Year for CNN

Licht’s departure marks the end of a tumultuous year for CNN, characterized by layoffs and shrinking profits, historically low ratings, and the firing of two anchors, which resulted in rock-bottom employee morale. Additionally, the ouster of previous leader Jeff Zucker and the shuttering of CNN+ added to the chaos that plagued the network for months.

Licht’s Tenure at CNN

Chris Licht, who led “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” to much success, became network chief last May. However, his tenure was marked by fierce criticism in the press, often due to leaks from employees around him who never fully trusted his leadership skills or editorial vision.

The final death knell was a devastating 15,000-word profile in The Atlantic that called into question Licht’s ability to lead the organization into the future. The article spoke to more than 100 CNN employees and detailed Licht’s inability to gain the trust of his staff.

Zaslav Steps in to Restore Order

After Licht’s departure, Zaslav installed David Leavy, his top lieutenant, as CNN’s chief operating officer. High-profile anchors and correspondents, in addition to the rank-and-file staff, had lost confidence in Licht. It had become evident that Licht, suffering from a series of self-inflicted wounds, could no longer lead the company.

The final decision to remove Licht was ultimately made by Zaslav earlier this week. This followed last weekend’s publication of The Atlantic piece, which crystallized concerns that Zaslav had with Licht’s leadership over the last several months.

The Future of CNN

Zaslav told CNN employees that the company is “in the process of conducting a wide search,” both internally and externally, for a new network chief. He also cautioned that finding the right person for this position will “take a while.”

In the interim, Zaslav announced that Amy Entelis, executive vice president of talent and content development; Virginia Moseley, executive vice president of editorial; and Eric Sherling, executive vice president of U.S. programming will serve as the network’s leadership team. Leavy will continue overseeing the company’s commercial activities.

Conclusion

Licht’s brief and rocky tenure as CEO and Chairman of CNN underscores the importance of strong leadership in an organization. His departure should serve as a lesson to companies on the importance of selecting the right leaders.

As CNN moves forward, it will need to rebuild staff morale and improve viewership numbers. This will require a leader with vision, a strong editorial sense, and the ability to build trust with staff. It remains to be seen who will be selected as the next CEO and Chairman of CNN, but we hope that person will be able to restore stability and lead the organization to success.