CNN CEO Apologizes to Staffers After Damaging Reports Surface: 'I Am Sorry'
CNN’s CEO Chris Licht recently apologized to staffers for distracting the establishment media from their work, according to sources with access to the content of a network staff meeting Monday.
Former CNN personality Brian Stelter offered a number of quotes from the meeting on Twitter, and while some might wonder how the former employee might have had access to that material, a report from Variety, the self-styled “most authoritative and trusted source of entertainment business news.”
The meeting was an attempt by the embattled CEO at damage control after an unflattering profile of Licht appeared in The Atlantic on Friday.
Chris Licht began today’s 9am editorial call by congratulating @JakeTapper and the town hall production team for last night’s Nikki Haley town hall. Then he addressed @TheAtlantic article and signaled he is staying on as CNN CEO. Here is what he said…
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) June 5, 2023
“I know these past few days have been very hard for this group. I fully recognize that this news cycle and my role in it overshadowed the incredible week of reporting that we just had, and distracted from the work of every single journalist in this org. And for that, I am sorry.”
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) June 5, 2023
“As I read that article, I found myself thinking, CNN is not about me,” Licht continued. “I should not be in the news unless it’s taking arrows for you. Your work is what should be written about.”
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) June 5, 2023
Licht: “To those whose trust I’ve lost, I will fight like hell to win it back, because you deserve a leader who will be in the trenches, fighting to ensure CNN remains the world’s most trusted name in news.” Staffers appreciated his humility. Q now: What do Zaslav & Leavy think?
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) June 5, 2023
Variety reported that Licht would be moving his office closer to his journalism staff, similar to his predecessor, Jeff Zucker, who resigned after an affair with CNN Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Allison Gollust came to light.
According to the profile in the Atlantic, Licht, after 15 months in his current role, still feels as if he’s competing with the popular Zucker, who encouraged some personalities to express more emotion during their broadcasts. Licht has encouraged a decidedly more straightforward approach.
In addition to Stelter, Don Lemon lost his role at the network under Licht’s leadership after he was unable or unwilling to conform to CNN’s new direction.
CNN continues to founder, however, as audiences have seemed to prefer commentary-oriented broadcasts like those of Fox News or MSNBC over straight news.
“News executives regularly acknowledge that straight news, presented without some sort of argument or conflict, has a difficult time gaining new audiences in the current climate,” Variety reported.
The outlet was also blunt about the results Licht has obtained so far: “CNN’s ratings have cratered.”
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