NPR

Chris Licht ousted at CNN after a year of crisis

CNN's embattled CEO, Chris Licht, is out after a turbulent first year that included layoffs, a botched town hall with former President Donald Trump and a no-holds-barred profile in The Atlantic.
Chris Licht was chairman and CEO of CNN Worldwide.
Updated June 7, 2023 at 11:06 AM ET

Chris Licht came into the top spot at CNN pronouncing he had a clear view of what was wrong with the cable news channel, the vision to fix it, and the corporate backing that would enable him to turn the ship around.

Barely more than a year later, with the channel's battered ratings further sagging, the formats for key shows still in doubt, internal strife at crisis levels, and journalists inside CNN still questioning what his vision is, Licht is gone, ousted by the corporate patron who wooed him to the network, Warner Bros. Discovery chief David Zaslav.

Zaslav made the decision over the weekend, according to a

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR17 min readAmerican Government
What Did Trump Say? Explaining The Former President's Favorite Talking Points
Former President Donald Trump continues to ratchet up his rhetoric on the campaign trail, but if someone doesn't follow Trump all the time, decoding his meaning can get confusing. We're here to help.
NPR1 min read
'Wait Wait' for May 11, 2024: With Not My Job guest Chappell Roan
With the release of her album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, Chappell Roan became a queer pop icon. Her hit songs include "Hot To Go!" but what does she know about to-go food?
NPR2 min read
Biden Will Keep Trump's China Tariffs, And Add New Ones On Electric Vehicles
The Biden administration is finally wrapping up its review of President Donald Trump's tariffs on Chinese imports. It will keep those tariffs, and add more on things like electric vehicles.

Related Books & Audiobooks