CNN’s chairman and CEO Chris Licht is to leave after only a year as head of the network.
Speaking to employees and quoted by CNN Business, David Zaslav, chief executive of CNN’s parent company Warner Bros. Discovery, confirmed the departure, adding that Licht’s job was “never going to be easy” and praised his “amazing career”, as well as wishing him well for the future.
Zaslav added: “for a number of reasons things didn’t work out and that’s unfortunate.
“It’s really unfortunate. And ultimately that’s on me. And I take full responsibility for that”.
He also said that the company is in the process of conducting a wide search for a successor to Licht but that this may take time.
In the interim, the leadership team will be comprised of Amy Entelis, executive VP of talent and content development; Virginia Moseley, executive VP of editorial; and Eric Sherling, executive VP of US. programming. David Leavy, who was recently installed as COO, will continue overseeing the company’s commercial activities.
Licht replaced Jeff Zucker in early 2022 and one of his first actions was to dismantle CNN+. He subsequently announced mass layoffs last December and has been criticised for a 15,000 word profile that recently appeared in The Atlantic.
